I HAVE LOST MY GENTLE GIANT
Agony of shot police sergeant’s girlfriend
THE partner of a much-loved sergeant shot dead inside a police station last night paid tribute to her ‘gentle giant’.
Speaking for the first time since the death of Sergeant Matiu Ratana on Friday, Su Bushby, his girlfriend of five years, said that he had an ‘infectious smile and big heart’.
New Zealander Mr Ratana, 54, was shot as he was preparing to search a handcuffed suspect who had managed to smuggle a revolver into the custody suite in Croydon, south London.
Yesterday new images surfaced of the 23-year-old alleged gunman as a smartlydressed Catholic schoolboy – who friends described as being ‘good with weapons’.
Louis De Zoysa, of Norbury, south London, remains in a critical condition in hospital with a neck injury after allegedly shooting himself when five shots were discharged while his hands were handcuffed behind his back.
Such is De Zoysa’s condition, he is yet to be questioned by police in connection with Mr Ratana’s murder.
Last night former peers from his all-boys school revealed startling details about the ‘odd’ suspect’s life, describing him as an ‘incredibly smart’ aspiring Oxbridge student who was often bullied. Alongside Miss Bushby’s tribute, the Metropolitan Police released a poignant image of Mr Ratana receiving a good service medal from Commissioner Cressida Dick in 2017.
The father of one, a police officer for 29 years, was due for retirement next year.
Miss Bushby, 44, who lived with him in Worthing, West Sussex, added: ‘There aren’t really any words for how I am feeling right now about the loss of Matt; about losing someone I loved and was so close to in such a tragic manner.
‘I know Matt touched many, many people’s lives with his friendliness, patience, kindness, enthusiasm and caring ways.
‘I had the pleasure of sharing five years of my life with this lovely man – my gentle giant, with his infectious smile and big heart. I think of him with tenderness and love. Matt was my partner, friend, confidant, support and soulmate. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Matt will always be in my head and in my heart.’
On Friday, Commissioner Dick said that Mr Ratana was a ‘big guy’ with a ‘big heart’. She added: ‘He was a talented police officer, captain of his recruits’ training class. A lovely man, respected by his colleagues, officers, staff and of course by members of the public, including, I may say, suspects arrested or dealt with in custody.’
Mr Ratana was born to a Mâori father and Scottish mother, Mary Young. It is believed she emigrated to Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, in the early 1960s. Mr Ratana had a number of stepbrothers and stepsisters.
It is thought his mother returned to Scotland and he moved the UK in 1989 to be closer to her before she died.
Tributes have been paid to the fallen officer by Prince Charles and Boris Johnson, with Home Secretary Priti Patel and London Mayor Sadiq Khan laying wreaths as remembrance services were held for him across the country.
Yesterday, dozens of forensics officers could be seen trawling the £700,000 family home of De Zoysa as Scotland Yard continued their murder investigation.
Another man was arrested in Norwich on Sunday on suspicion of supplying a firearm.
Armed police have also searched a farm property in the Banstead area of Surrey which was a former ammunition dump during the Second World War.
On Saturday, officers carried out a controlled explosion to enter a building on the site.
‘My gentle giant with a big heart’