The Inquest into the death of Police Sergeant Matt Ratana

The Inquest, held over three weeks in November 2023, touched the death of Police Sergeant Matt Ratana, who was murdered in Croydon Custody Centre on 25 September 2020 by Louis De Zoysa. Richard Furniss led Max Montgomery as Counsel to the Inquest for Senior Coroner, Sarah Ormond-Walshe.

Mr De Zoysa had been arrested for possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of ammunition following a stop and search by a Metropolitan Police Constable. A loaded revolver in a holster on his person was not discovered during the search and was used in custody by De Zoysa to shoot and kill Sergeant Ratana. 

The Senior Coroner found there was "failure to carry out a safe, thorough and systematic search". De Zoysa had been convicted of murder so the conclusion was inevitably that of ‘Unlawful Killing’.

The Inquest has been widely reported in the press:

BBC

Sky News

12th Dec 2023

Richard Furniss

Call 1991

Max Montgomery

Call 2021