Raoul Moat: His Short Life and Bloody Death

On 1st July Raoul Moat was released from Durham prison after serving 18 weeks for assault on a minor. In the 10 days that followed, Moat brought terror and fear to the Northumberland countryside, seriously injuring his ex-girlfriend and killing her partner before vowing to harm any policemen who got in his way. Armed with a sawn-off shotgun, Moat went on the run and continued his violent rampage, shooting police constable David Rathband and fleeing to the remote moors of Northumberland. This is the full story behind Moat's ten days on the run. It traces his final steps in what became one of Britain's biggest police manhunt, from the initial murder in Birtley, through to the police standoff on the banks of the River Coquet in Rothby. Examining the various police, press and witness reports, and piecing together Moat's final movements across the Northumberland countryside, this is the retelling of one of the most deadly manhunts Britain has ever seen, and the first insight into what made Moat a killer.