Northumbria Police in appeal to Raoul Moat

Jul 5 2010 by Sophie Doughty, The Journal

FUELLED by jealousy and filled with rage on-the-run killer Raoul Moat acted out his revenge on the police force he hates by shooting a traffic officer through the side window of his patrol car.

Almost 24-hours after wounding his ex-girlfriend and shooting dead her new partner, the spurned lover turned his gun on PC David Rathband as he sat parked above the A1 in Newcastle.

And detectives yesterday revealed police now believe Moat has a grudge against Northumbria Police, after mistakenly coming to believe his former love, Sam Stobbart, had been having an affair with an officer.

Det Chief Supt Neil Adamson said Moat had called Northumbria Police around the time PC Rathband was shot expressing his hatred for the force and its officers.

The drama began at 2.40am, on Saturday when mum-of-one Samantha was shot through her living room window as she stood inside her house.

The gunman, now thought to be her former lover, Moat, then turned his weapon on her new boyfriend Chris Brown, 29, and shot him in the head.

Chris, who only recently moved to Gateshead from Slough, Berkshire, to take up a job as a karate instructor, died on the grassed area outside the house on Scafell.

Samantha was seriously injured and taken to hospital where she last night remained in a critical but stable condition.

Within hours, police confirmed that the fugitive they were looking for was Moat.

The 37-year-old body-builder and father of three from Fenham Park Drive in Newcastle, was released from Durham Prison on Thursday after serving a 18-week sentence for assault.

Det Chief Supt Adamson yesterday appealed directly to Moat to hand himself in, while telling him that what he thought about Samantha’s new relationship was wrong.

“The best way to resolve this issue is for Mr Moat to make direct contact with the police and I would like to make a personal appeal to him,” the detective said.

“Yesterday, you contacted the police and it is clear that you believe certain things to be true which I would like to clarify with you now.

“You have told us that the police are not taking you seriously. We are. I want you to know that you have our full attention, innocent people have been hurt. This must stop now.

“You believe that Sam was having an affair with a Northumbria Police officer. Sam has told us this is not true. Our inquiries have verified this.

“Chris Brown, who was shot and killed yesterday, was not and never has been a Northumbria Police officer or in any way connected with Northumbria Police. Sam is injured but will live. PC Rathband, shot in the early hours of today, was seriously injured and is critical in hospital.

"Enough people have been hurt. You now need to make contact with the police.”