Man accused of murdering West Sussex police officer to stand trial next year
Sgt. Matt Ratana was shot dead in a south London custody centre in 2020
Last updated 18th Nov 2022
A 25-year-old man accused of murdering a Met police officer from West Sussex inside a south London custody centre has been told he will stand trial next summer.
Louis De Zoysa was not required to enter any plea during a court appearance on Friday which heard that his trial, lasting up to three weeks, will start on June 6.
Prosecutors allege De Zoysa shot custody sergeant Matt Ratana from Goring in the chest while handcuffed at a police station in Croydon in the early hours of September 25th, 2020.
De Zoysa, who appeared in a wheelchair in the dock at Northampton Crown Court, is accused of discharging four bullets in a holding cell at Croydon Custody Centre, during an incident in which he was also injured.
Sgt Ratana, 54, died from a wound to the chest.
The defendant, of no fixed address, is due to re-appear at Northampton Crown Court in the week beginning February 20th for a plea and case management hearing.
High Court Judge Mr Justice Jeremy Baker also set a further pre-trial hearing for a day in the week commencing April 24th.