A man has been charged with the murder of Kiwi-born Metropolitan police officer Matt Ratana, pictured, in Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex last year. Photo / Supplied
A man has been charged with the murder of Kiwi-born Metropolitan police officer Matt Ratana, pictured, in Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex last year. Photo / Supplied
A man has been charged with the murder of New Zealand-born policeman Matt Ratana in England.
Louis de Zoysa, 23, of Surrey, was arrested over Ratana's death after the shooting in the early hours of September 25.
Ratana was shot in the chest while he was preparing to search ahandcuffed de Zoysa in the Croydon Custody Centre.
De Zoysa, who is autistic, has also remained in hospital under police guard with non-life threatening injuries after also shooting himself during the incident.
Police had been keeping in contact with medical staff and the Crown prosecution service
Recent changes to his condition and a charging decision by the CPS have resulted in de Zoysa being charged with murder and the other offences today, the Daily Mail reported.
He was also charged with possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
De Zoysa will appear in the Westminster Magistrates' Court today via video link.
Ratana's partner and his son have been informed on the decision to lay charges, the Daily Mail reported.
Ratana had served with the Met since 1991 and was the first ever officer to be killed inside a British police station.
Matiu Ratana helped guard Princess Diana, the Queen Mother and a former Prime Minister. Photo / Supplied
De Zoysa's mother Elizabeth told the Mail on Sunday in November last year: "Louis drew a picture of what happened because he's been very, very anxious about the police presence and the police took it. [The drawing] was unprompted."
De Zoysa said her son was autistic and didn't think he was currently well enough to be interrogated.
"Louis has slow processing and poor organisation skills," she said. "He's very, very intelligent but he can't put two and two together."
Although De Zoysa, who also shot himself during the incident, was arrested on suspicion of murder he is yet to be formally charged as police are waiting for doctors to declare him fit before further questioning.
One of the questions would be how De Zoysa managed to hide the gun during and after his arrest.
His mother was clinging to hope that the gun was accidentally fired in a struggle.
Ratana's death shocked people from all around the world and saw more than $100,000 raised by mourners and celebrities.
