Sgt Matiu Ratana: Jury shown image of how accused may have had gun

The jury were shown computer graphics of how Mr De Zoysa may have been carrying the gun as well as the bullets he had

A jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering a Met Police sergeant in a custody suite has been shown a picture of how he may have had the gun.

Matiu Ratana, 54, was shot with a gun concealed in Louis De Zoysa's underarm holster at Croydon Custody Centre in September 2020. He denies murder.

At Northampton Crown Court, the jury was also shown a copy of a gun holster.

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward said the holster was "exactly identical" to the one owned by 25-year-old Mr De Zoysa.

A replica holster was shown to the jury on Friday

The prosecution alleges Mr De Zoysa "pulled the trigger on purpose four times" while he was handcuffed in a holding room at the custody centre.

Prosecutors say the gun and holster were "probably concealed under one of his armpits".

The court heard the first and second shots hit Sgt Ratana, the third hit the wall during a struggle with officers, and a fourth hit Mr De Zoysa himself.

Sgt Matiu Ratana was the on-duty custody sergeant

Both the prosecution and the defence agree that Mr De Zoysa, who was 23 at the time of the shooting, pulled the trigger on the first and second shot and that the gun was fired four times.

They also agree the third shot was fired when the gun was still in Mr De Zoysa's hand, and the fourth hit Mr De Zoysa in the neck.

The defendant, from Banstead in Surrey, had been arrested on London Road, Norbury, south London, after a stop and search by officers found he had cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition.

Officers did not know he had a gun until it was used to shoot Sgt Ratana.

Jurors have also been shown body worn camera footage dated 25 September 2020 of Mr De Zoysa being put into a police van

Sgt Ratana sustained five injuries caused by two bullets - a fatal gunshot wound to the chest, with the bullet going through his heart, and four other injuries caused by a second bullet.

The trial continues on Monday.

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