The partner of a murdered police officer has told of her “indescribable” pain after he was shot and killed on duty.
Sergeant Matt Ratana, from Sussex, died on September 25, 2020, after Louis De Zoysa shot him with homemade bullets in a custody centre in Croydon.
Su Bushby, the partner of the Metropolitan Police Sergeant, has now said that the 53-year-old’s death “ripped through my body”.
At an inquest into his death, Sgt Ratana's partner of five years said: “My life changed forever.
“Hearing of his death ripped through my body and I was overwhelmed with grief.”
She went on: “It has left me in a state of limbo, I’ve not been able to get on with my life.”
The inquest heard Sgt Ratana’s murder left Ms Bushby with “insomnia, anxiety and depression” and that she misses him “more than words can express”.
Ms Bushby also said: “My pain was indescribable, it just wasn’t fair.”
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Sgt Ratana, from Goring, was a popular figure in the rugby community in Sussex as coach of East Grinstead RFC.
De Zoysa, 26, was sentenced to life in prison in July after shooting and killing Sgt Ratana.
He had earlier been arrested and shot the police officer leaving paramedics in a “desperate battle” to keep him alive.
A paramedic said in a written statement Sgt Ratana’s gunshot wound was “oozing blood”, and the inquest heard a helicopter ambulance was dispatched.
His time of death was recorded at 4.10am, the inquest heard.
De Zoysa also shot himself in the attack, leaving himself with a brain injury which means he cannot communicate effectively.
Imran Khan KC, for De Zoysa, unsuccessfully argued to adjourn the hearing because the 26-year-old had been denied legal funding.
He told senior coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe the gunman is only able to communicate using a whiteboard and has mobility problems, and can not effectively participate in the hearing.
De Zoysa is serving a whole life jail term for Mr Ratana’s murder after a trial earlier this year, during which his legal team argued that he was suffering an autistic meltdown at the time of the shooting.
The three-week inquest in Croydon continues on Tuesday.
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