Raoul Moat hero PC weighs into police cuts row

The police officer who was left blind in both eyes after being shot by Raoul Moat has challenged the Home Secretary over whether she thought his £35,000 salary was too much.

PC David Rathband entered the row over police pay and conditions at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth.

Appearing via videolink, the 43-year-old father-of-two asked Mrs May: “I was paid £35,000 last year. Do you think I’m paid too much?”

Former bouncer Moat, 37, blasted PC Rathband while he was sitting in his patrol car on a roundabout on the outskirts of Newcastle in July last year as part of a two-day shooting spree.

Mrs May did not reply directly to the officer’s question.

Anger amongst rank-and-file officers has been building since former rail regulator Tom Winsor said the most wide-ranging analysis of police pay in 30 years showed more than £1 billion of savings should be made.

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