Gunman Raoul Moat’s henchmen guilty

Karl Ness, 26, and Qhuram Awan, 23, conspired with Raoul Moat before, during and after his shooting of three people, killing one and seriously injuring the others, the jury found.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Ness was convicted of murder and of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and both defendants were convicted of conspiracy to murder, attempted murder and robbery for their involvement in the killing spree.

It’s my friend that’s holding me ‘hostage’…Burn this letter after you have read it. Awan’s letter to sister during Moat stand-off

Moat shot and seriously injured his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, 22, and killed her partner, Chris Brown, 29 in July last year. He also shot and blinded PC David Rathband, before killing himself in a stand-off with police in Rothbury.

The pair will be sentenced on Tuesday.

Emotion

PC Rathband, who was blinded by Moat, 37, hugged his sobbing wife Kath in the public gallery as the verdicts were delivered. The mother of Chris Brown, who was killed by Moat, was also in tears as the verdicts were delivered.

Other relatives of Moat’s victims cried: “Yes!” when the unanimous verdicts were read out.

Both defendants appeared to collapse when they heard their fate.

Help

The men had claimed they were held hostage by Moat, a former bouncer. But Ness helped Moat find out information about Mr Brown using the internet, and he was with steroid addict Moat on the night he killed Mr Brown. He also spied on Moat’s ex-girlfriend Ms Stobbart while Moat was in prison.

The killings took place just days after Moat was released.

Awan helped the pair afterwards by driving a getaway car to a woodland hideout, then driving Moat in his modified black Lexus to the road junction where he shot PC Rathband, 43.

Arriving at court: PC David Rathband with his wife and son

Both men then helped the fugitive rob a Northumberland chip shop and set up his campsite in a farmer’s field. Throughout the trial, Ness and Awan maintained they went along with Moat’s demands only because they feared for their lives and those of their families.

These gents were involved with the man who pulled the trigger but neither has…shown any remorse. Detective Superintendent Jim Napier

But crucial evidence against the accomplices suggested otherwise.

Letters proved the men were pretending to be held against their will. In one letter seized by detectives, Awan wrote to his sister: “It’s my friend that’s holding me ‘hostage’.

“I’m actually safer than safe. I’m actually in a safe location out of harm’s way. Burn this letter after you have read it.”

CCTV footage showed the pair looking calm and relaxed as they ran errands for the killer during his rampage.

Moat

Moat went on his killing spree after becoming obsessed by the idea that his ex, Ms Stobbart, was dating somebody new. She told him her new boyfriend was a police officer, hoping to scare him away – but instead Moat turned against the police as well as Ms Stobbart and her boyfriend.

After shooting them, he evaded capture for several days, costing police £1m as officers from 18 forces – as well as TV survival expert Ray Mears – hunted for him. When they cornered him, 30 miles north of Newcastle, Moat took his own life.

Detective Superintendent Jim Napier said that when it emerged at the time that Moat had hostages, it changed the hunt, as the police did not want to endanger their lives. But then when the full evidence came out, he said he was certain the pair were involved in Moat’s horrific crimes.

“There is no doubt in my mind Ness was responsible along with Moat for the death of Chris Brown. Moat did not act alone. He, Awan and Moat were all in cahoots together.

“These gents were involved with the man who pulled the trigger but neither has taken responsibility for his actions or shown any remorse.

“For me, that sums up their cowardliness. They are beneath contempt for me.”