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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Sgt Matiu Ratana: Met officer murder accused sad he died, jury hears | Sgt Matiu Ratana: Met officer murder accused sad he died, jury hears |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Sgt Matiu Ratana was head coach at East Grinstead Rugby Club | Sgt Matiu Ratana was head coach at East Grinstead Rugby Club |
| A man accused of murdering Metropolitan Police custody sergeant Matiu Ratana has told a jury he felt "sad" the officer died. | A man accused of murdering Metropolitan Police custody sergeant Matiu Ratana has told a jury he felt "sad" the officer died. |
| Louis De Zoysa agreed CCTV footage showed him firing a gun at 54-year-old Sgt Ratana, who was shot at Croydon custody centre on 25 September 2020. | Louis De Zoysa agreed CCTV footage showed him firing a gun at 54-year-old Sgt Ratana, who was shot at Croydon custody centre on 25 September 2020. |
| Asked what murder meant, 25-year-old Mr De Zoysa said: "Kill." | Asked what murder meant, 25-year-old Mr De Zoysa said: "Kill." |
| He told the court he had not meant to kill Sgt Ratana nor to cause him really serious harm. | He told the court he had not meant to kill Sgt Ratana nor to cause him really serious harm. |
| As he began giving evidence at Northampton Crown Court, Mr De Zoysa sat in a wheelchair in the well of the courtroom with a small whiteboard and marker on the desk in front of him, which he is using because of communication difficulties. | |
| In a modified oath, he promised to tell the truth and confirmed his name and date of birth using the whiteboard. | In a modified oath, he promised to tell the truth and confirmed his name and date of birth using the whiteboard. |
| Murder jury shown CCTV of policeman being shot | Murder jury shown CCTV of policeman being shot |
| Shot Met officer jury shown where gun may have been | Shot Met officer jury shown where gun may have been |
| The prosecution alleges Mr De Zoysa, from Banstead in Surrey, "pulled the trigger on purpose four times" while he was handcuffed in a holding room. | |
| The court has heard that the first and second shots hit Sgt Ratana, the third hit the wall during a struggle with officers and a fourth hit the defendant. | |
| Mr De Zoysa has been left with brain damage as a result of the gunshot wound. | Mr De Zoysa has been left with brain damage as a result of the gunshot wound. |
| 'Father beat him' | |
| He told the court he is autistic and would regularly get stressed out, leading him to punch chairs and walls. | |
| Asked about his family, Mr De Zoysa alleged his father used to beat him over "trivial matters". | |
| He later wrote the word "coke" on his whiteboard before adding: "He is a criminal. He used to be a drug dealer." | He later wrote the word "coke" on his whiteboard before adding: "He is a criminal. He used to be a drug dealer." |
| The defendant drew a stickman wearing a cast on one leg before confirming his father hit and broke his leg. | The defendant drew a stickman wearing a cast on one leg before confirming his father hit and broke his leg. |
| Louis De Zoysa used a whiteboard and pen to help him communicate | |
| Mr De Zoysa told the court how he once hit his father on the head using a metal rod. He said this was out of "panic" and possibly caused by his autism. | |
| The court heard in June 2019 he was arrested for "fighting" his father because his dad was upsetting him and talking "too loud". | The court heard in June 2019 he was arrested for "fighting" his father because his dad was upsetting him and talking "too loud". |
| 'Set fire to carpet' | 'Set fire to carpet' |
| He confirmed to jurors he had previously broken the stairs in his family home and set a carpet on fire because he was "upset", and also said he smoked cannabis due to "stress" as it helped him feel "mellow". | He confirmed to jurors he had previously broken the stairs in his family home and set a carpet on fire because he was "upset", and also said he smoked cannabis due to "stress" as it helped him feel "mellow". |
| The court heard the defendant received A grades at A-Level for chemistry, physics and maths, and attended University College London but did not finish his degree, going on to work in coding at HMRC. | |
| The jury was told during the early hours of 25 September 2020, Mr De Zoysa was arrested on London Road in Norbury, south London, after a stop and search by officers found cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition on him. | The jury was told during the early hours of 25 September 2020, Mr De Zoysa was arrested on London Road in Norbury, south London, after a stop and search by officers found cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition on him. |
| The court heard officers did not know he had a gun until it was used to shoot Sgt Ratana. | The court heard officers did not know he had a gun until it was used to shoot Sgt Ratana. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
| Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Banstead | Banstead |
| Croydon | Croydon |
| Metropolitan Police Service | Metropolitan Police Service |
| London | London |
| Norbury | Norbury |