Raoul Moat ‘friends’ in court accused of helping gunman
Darshna Soni
Communities Editor
Dramatic evidence has emerged about fugitive gunman Raoul Moat, who went on the run after shooting three people last July. Darshna Soni reports on the two men accused of helping him hide from police.
The two men arrived at court to hear the prosecution describe them as “willing accomplices”. The first defendant, Karl Ness, 26, was good friends with Raoul Moat and had worked with him at his tree-felling business. The second, Qhuram Awan, 23, knew Moat through his work as a mechanic.
According to the prosecution, Mr Ness visited Moat when he was serving time inside Durham prison, just before his shooting spree. Moat had developed a resentment because his ex-girlfriend Sam Stobbart was seeing another man.
On the day he got out of prison, Moat went for a haircut telling the barber “I’ve got a few things to do, some arses to kick, Ill probably be back inside by Friday”.
The next day, Ness and Moat went to B&Q hardware store where Moat bought a four-man tent and it’s alleged that Mr Ness and Mr Awan were to spend three days camping with the fugitive, as he hid from the police.
Later that night, Raoul Moat shot Stobbart and killed her new partner Chris Brown. It is claimed Ness was waiting nearby in a van and that the pair exchanged text messages. Mr Brown was shot three times.
Karl Ness has been charged with murder and of conspiring to help Moat carry out what has been described as a “calmly delivered execution”.
In the hours that followed, police launched one of their biggest ever manhunts. Moat rang 999 and taunted the police saying that he was looking for an officer to kill.
PC David Rathband was 90 minutes from the end of his shift. He was parked on a roundabout in his patrol car. It is alleged Moat went up to him and shot him, as his two friends waited in the car.
The court heard that the officer was shot through the head and left blinded. Moat fired again and PC Rathband had to play dead until the gunman finally ran off. It is alleged that Awan drove them all away in his black Lexus vehicle.
As hundreds of officers searched for Moat, he contacted police again to claim he was holding two hostages – Ness and Awan.
Mr Ness denies the murder of Mr Brown, attempting to murder Pc Rathband, one charge of conspiracy to murder, one charge of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and one of robbing a fish shop.
Mr Awan denies the attempted murder of Pc Rathband, one charge of conspiracy to murder, one charge of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and one of robbing a fish shop.
The trial is expected to last five weeks.