The custody sergeant killed at a south London police station was the eighth officer shot dead in the UK over the past 20 years.

The Metropolitan Police officer died in hospital after the 23-year-old suspected gunman opened fire at Croydon custody centre in the early hours of Friday before turning the gun on himself.

Some 25 other officers have been murdered since 2020, according to the UK’s police roll of honour.

He is the first to be killed by a firearm in the line of duty since Pcs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, in September 2012.

They were murdered by Dale Cregan in a gun and grenade attack while responding to a report of a burglary in Greater Manchester.

In July the same year, off-duty police officer Pc Ian Dibell, 41, was shot dead while trying to stop gunman Peter Reeve, 64, who had fired at a couple in Clacton, Essex.

In March 2009, police officer Stephen Carroll was shot dead while responding to a call in Craigavon, Co Armagh.

Pc Ricky Gray was shot in the head by a gunman who then turned the weapon on himself in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, in May 2007.

Pc Sharon Beshenivsky was shot dead when she and a colleague tried to stop armed robbers in Bradford in November 2005.

American David Bieber murdered Pc Ian Broadhurst and attempted to murder Pcs Neil Roper and James Banks in 2003 in Leeds.