Who was Raoul Moat? Newcastle murderer who sparked week-long manhunt
RAOUL Moat’s gun wielding rampage claimed the life of one person, and severely injured two others in 2010.
The shooting spree in Northumbria shocked the nation. But who was he and what happened that day? This is what we know.
Who was Raoul Moat?
Raoul Moat gained national notoriety when he embarked on a horrific shooting spree on July 3, 2010.
The 37-year-old was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he and his half-brother Angus were mostly brought up by their grandmother.
His mother reportedly suffered from bipolar disorder and spent a lot of time in mental hospitals.
Later, Moat worked as a bouncer and tree surgeon and attempted to get psychiatric help himself.
Moat had been in a six-year relationship with Samantha Stobbart prior to the attack.
The couple had a four-year-old daughter together, though trainee hairdresser Stobbart had started dating karate instructor Chris Brown while Moat was still in prison.
What did Raoul Moat do?
Moat gained national notoriety when he embarked on a horrific shooting spree on July 3, 2010, killing his former girlfriend’s partner Chris and severely injuring ex-Samantha.
It prompted a huge manhunt for the killer, who police eventually located in Rothbury – we recount the events below.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Moat is released from prison after serving an 18-week sentence for assault.
Friday, July 3, 2010
Moat tracks down ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart to a house in Birtley, Gateshead, where she is staying with new partner Chris Brown.
He fatally shoots Chris just outside the house at around 2.40am, before shooting at Samantha twice through the front window of the property.
Samantha is taken to hospital in a serious condition.
The next day, police announced they are investigating Moat’s connection to the shootings.
Saturday, July 4, 2010
Moat shoots on-duty police officer PC David Rathband in East Denton, just west of Newcastle at 12.45am.
The officer is taken to Newcastle General Hospital in critical condition, and Northumbria police later announce the shooting is linked to the Birtley inquiry.
That afternoon, the force warns the public not to approach Moat and says they are actively tracking him.
Monday, July 5, 2010
The case is referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Northumbria Police say that they were warned the previous Friday by a Durham prison officer that Moat intended to “cause serious harm to his partner”.
Samantha is said to no longer be in a critical condition.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
A two-mile exclusion zone is set up in the Rothbury area of Northumberland, where residents are advised against going outside.
Meanwhile, Moat issues a chilling warning in a letter to the police, declaring war on them.
In the letter later obtained by The Sun, he promises not to stop his rampage “until I’m dead” and said “the public need to fear me”.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Police offer a £10k reward for anyone that can come forward with information on Moat.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland also sends 20 armoured cars to help Northumbria Police, while the Metropolitan Police provide 40 armed officers.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Police say that Moat has made threats to the wider public, and urge people to “be vigilant”.
Later that day, Karl Ness and Qhuram Awan appear in court, accused of aiding in Moat’s conspiracy to kill policemen.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Local witnesses in the Rothbury area report seeing a man lying on the ground with a shotgun pressed under his neck.
Police get around 20ft from the man – who was later confirmed to be Moat.
A cordon is set up in the area of Cragside Estate in Rothbury, as Northumbria police begin negotiations with the man.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Cops fire two stun guns at Moat.
Moat later shoots himself following a six-hour stand-off with police.
He is confirmed dead at 2.20am.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
An inquest into Moat’s shooting rampage begins.
Newcastle coroner David Mitford confirms that Moat died of a gunshot wound to the head.
March 15, 2011
Two men are sentenced to life in prison for their role in aiding Moat’s killing.
Karl Ness and Qhuram Awan are found guilty of the attempted murder of PC David Rathband, conspiracy to murder and robbery.
Ness was also convicted of Chris Brown’s murder.
Was Raoul Moat married?
Samantha had been in a six-year relationship with Moat prior to the attack.
The couple had a four-year-old daughter together, though trainee hairdresser Stobbart had started dating karate instructor Brown while Moat was still in prison.
How did Raoul Moat know Paul Gascoigne?
Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne turned up to the stand-off between Moat and the police with chicken, lager and a fishing rod.
Gascoigne said at the time he was at his most vulnerable and involved in a gruelling battle with alcohol addiction.
Despite asking “Where’s Moaty?” when arriving at the scene, he later admitted that he had never met the killer.
What happened to Raoul Moat?
After the extensive manhunt to find Moat where police deployed 160 officers to the search, they managed to locate his car in Rothbury.
They told residents to stay indoors as they closed the net on the wanted criminal.
Once they located Raoul Moat near the River Coquet, an intense six-hour period of negotiation took place.
Despite this, Moat shot himself.
He had written a 49-page confession revealing that cartridges earmarked for Samantha had been doctored so she would survive, but live with memento scars.
Following an inquest in 2011, Moat’s death was ruled a suicide and it was found that Northumbria Police had not been at fault.
When does The Hunt for Raoul Moat start?
The first episode will air Sunday April 16, 2023 at 9pm.
There will be two further episodes in the three-part drama which will be shown on Monday April 17, 2023 and Tuesday April 18, 2023 both at 9pm also.