Sgt Matiu Ratana: Met officer murder accused fired gun during 'panic attack', jury hears

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 was having a "panic attack" at the time.

Louis De Zoysa accepted CCTV footage showed him firing a gun at 54-year-old Sgt Ratana, who was shot at Croydon custody centre on 25 September 2020.

Mr De Zoysa appeared on Wednesday at Northampton Crown Court in a wheelchair and was escorted by police officers.

Defending, Imran Khan KC asked him several questions about the shooting.

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.

Mr De Zoysa, who denies murder, has been left with brain damage as a result of a gunshot wound.

He gave evidence in a modified way because of communication difficulties.

Louis De Zoysa used a whiteboard and pen to help him communicate in court

Asked by Mr Khan if he meant to fire the gun, 25-year-old Mr De Zoysa said: "No."

Mr Khan then asked: "Did you want to fire the gun?", and Mr De Zoysa replied: "No."

The barrister asked Mr De Zoysa: "Can you tell us why you fired the gun, Louis?"

The defendant replied: "Panic attack."

Earlier in the hearing, Mr De Zoysa was also shown CCTV footage of his arrest in London Road in Norbury, south London, during the early hours of 25 September 2020.

• Murder jury shown CCTV of policeman being shot

• Shot Met officer jury shown where gun may have been

In the footage Mr De Zoysa can be seen carrying a brown bag, and jurors heard an officer tell him there had been a "lot of burglaries in the area, it's half one in the morning, you're walking down the road with a duffel bag".

The officer says in the video he wants to search Mr De Zoysa as he believes he "may be equipped for a burglary".

Mr De Zoysa then tells the officer: "I'm going to confess, in that bag is non-medical cannabis."

In court, the defendant wrote the word "freeze" on a whiteboard, and pressed his chest and said "beating fast", as well as the words "fear" and "panic".

The court heard Mr Khan ask Mr De Zoysa: "Why didn't you tell them about the gun?"

He replied: "Anxious."

The defendant was shown footage of himself in a custody cell, and was asked how he was feeling at the time.

He replied: "Stuttery."

At the end of the evidence session, the defendant appeared to shake for several seconds before he was taken for a break.

The trial continues.

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