Man is arrested on suspicion of supplying firearm linked to murder of police officer Matt Ratana

Police investigating the murder of a police officer in Croydon have arrested a man on suspicion of supplying a firearm.

The man was detained in Norwich in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Metropolitan Police said.

“This arrest, which occurred at approximately 0200hrs, forms part of the investigation into the murder of Sergeant Matt Ratana,” the force said in a statement.

Sgt Ratana, 54, was shot by a handcuffed suspect in the early hours of Friday at Croydon Custody Centre.

The 23-year-old suspect, thought to be Sri Lankan in origin, had been stopped by officers after being seen acting suspiciously outside a London tower block.

An investigation is underway to establish how a firearm was concealed following his arrest on suspicion of possession of ammunition and cannabis resin.

The suspect, who was also injured in the shooting, remains in a critical condition in hospital and police said they have not yet been able to speak to him.

Four crime scenes were being searched on Sunday, including one address in Norbury, south London and another in Banstead, Surrey.

Residents near the Banstead site described hearing a loud explosion at around 5.30am, thought to have been the result of police gaining access to a property.

One neighbour told the Telegraph that there had been "lots of comings and goings" with vans over the last six months.

Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick on Sunday paid tribute to Sgt Ratana, a father-of-one, describing him as an “extraordinary person” who was “very good at his job”.

As commemorations took place across the UK for National Police Memorial Day, Dame Cressida laid a wreath at the National Police Memorial in central London, alongside Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Home Secretary Priti Patel, before speaking of Sgt Ratana’s sporting enthusiasm as a “proud Kiwi”.

“He was a truly great sportsman and a leader in sport. Sport of course takes you into wider worlds,” she said. “He was a proud Kiwi… and played sport all over the place.

“Those worlds, the sporting world and the London communities world – perhaps I don’t know quite so much about that – but as a police officer, so many people knew how good he was and he’ll be sorely, sorely missed.”

Meanwhile, devastated members of East Grinstead Rugby Club (EGRFC), where Sgt Ratana was head coach, gathered on the pitch to observe two periods of silence in his memory.

Staff and players from both the senior and junior teams linked arms as they paid tribute to the much-loved role model, who was described as an “irreplaceable figure” at the club.

The club flag was flown alongside the New Zealand flag and the All Blacks rugby team flag to honour Sgt Ratana’s roots, while a Metropolitan Police jacket was paid out on the pitch.

Ryan Morlen, 31, assistant head coach at EGRFC, said that the news would “take time to process” but the close-knit club had pulled together.

“It’s tough really with the loss of Matt, he’s an irreplaceable figure,” he said. “The club here, from juniors, seniors, to the women’s team they’re going to really miss Matt.

It’s going to take time to process. “As a community he brought a lot of things together. I spoke to Matt every single day… and there are thousands of people out there that really looked up to him.

“As a community we’re unbelievably close and the minute we found out the news we pulled together and that’s the type of club East Grinstead is.

“Nothing is enough to show how much we loved that guy and how much of a role model he was to many, and he really was.”

Pc Sarah D’Silva, 26, who plays as a winger for the club’s women’s team and also works at Croydon police station, laid a signed Metropolitan Police jacket alongside the other tributes and received applause from players and other club members.

“He was an absolutely fantastic character, full of life with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen and a fantastic mentor on the rugby field and for the police as well,” she said.

“Any question was never too much for Matt and it’s deeply saddening to know from such a deeply tragic event has resulted in the loss of Matt’s life.

“I can’t put into words how shocked I am and also the colleagues that are beside me in the blue line family. It’s a completely tragic event.”

Pc D’Silva added that she stood in her uniform “with pride” and that the reaction of the club community to Sgt Ratana’s death had been “phenomenal”.

“We’ve all stood on the pitch for our minute’s silence today and seeing everybody who’s actually turned out today at the club is absolutely phenomenal, in respect of Matt,” she said.

“As an officer we stand with pride in our uniform and today I stand with pride in my uniform for Sergeant Ratana but I also stand with pride at this club.

“He would have wanted us to carry on and today, that is exactly what we’ve done.”

Club vice-chairman Matt Marriott told BBC Breakfast: “I’ve actually never met anybody quite like Matt, he must have been an incredible policeman. “His attention to detail and his strive for perfection, his work ethic, just blew all of us away.”