Neglect of your duty

Partner of murdered sergeant hits out at failings of Met Police

- TOM PETTIFOR, MICHAEL GILLARD

SERGEANT Matt Ratana's grieving partner has spoken of her anger at the failings which left a suspect armed and able to murder him.

The police officer, 54, was shot in the early hours of September 25, 2020 by Louis de Zoysa. De Zoysa had been arrested and searched before being brought to a police station but rookie PC Richard Davey failed to find the gun he had hidden in an underarm holster.

Concluding an inquest into Sgt Ratana's death yesterday, Senior Coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe ruled it was an unlawful killing.