{"id":32177,"date":"2023-04-16T10:00:42","date_gmt":"2023-04-16T08:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1815707"},"modified":"2023-04-16T20:57:43","modified_gmt":"2023-04-16T18:57:43","slug":"what-happened-to-david-rathband-from-the-hunt-for-raoul-moat","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/what-happened-to-david-rathband-from-the-hunt-for-raoul-moat\/","title":{"rendered":"What happened to David Rathband from The Hunt For Raoul Moat?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The police officer was one of Raoul Moat’s victims. <\/p>

By Jo Berry\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 16 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

This article contains discussion of themes including suicide that some readers may find upsetting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

ITV\u2019s new three-part drama The Hunt For Raoul Moat follows the story of killer Raoul Moat and the police operation to catch him after he shot three people in July 2010 and then went on the run.<\/p>\n

His first two victims were his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and her new boyfriend Chris Brown, who were both shot in the early hours of 3rd July. Just a few hours later, he shot police officer David Rathband, and then evaded police for a week while threatening to kill officers and members of the public.<\/p>\n

The manhunt ended following a six hour stand-off with armed police officers, with Moat shooting himself.<\/p>

What happened to David Rathband?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

David Rathband was a 42-year-old traffic police officer who was sitting in his police patrol car near East Denton, Tyne and Wear, the day after Raoul Moat went on the run following the shooting of Samantha Stobbart and Chris Brown.<\/p>\n

That day, Moat had phoned 999 to declare war on the police, and just 12 minutes later, he walked up to Rathband\u2019s car and shot the police officer in the face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked into his eyes and saw nothing \u2013 no emotion. Then I felt the pain full-on in my face,\u201d Rathband told The Sun<\/a>. \u201cI knew my right eye socket had just exploded and my eye had gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Rathband was taken to Newcastle General Hospital with severe injuries to his head and upper body. Just 50 minutes later, Moat called the police once more, showing no concern for the police officer (as reported by The Guardian<\/a>). Rathband spent 17 days in hospital. He lost the sight in both eyes and was left with more than 200 shotgun pellets lodged in his skull.<\/p>\n

Sadly, David never came to terms with his injuries, and a year after the shooting, he admitted he had experienced suicidal thoughts. \u201cI\u2019m not a robot, I have been badly affected by what\u2019s happened,\u201d he said in an interview (via The Sun<\/a>). \u201cI have to wait and see but as long as I have the conviction to carry on doing the best by my family then I don\u2019t think I can go far wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

He later split from his wife Kath, with whom he had two children, and on February 29th 2012, almost 18 months after he was shot by Moat, David Rathband was found hanged at his home in Blyth.<\/p>\n

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David\u2019s twin brother Darren spoke about him on the 10th anniversary of his death to the Daily Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter David was shot, he often told me that the [police] service was making him jump through hoops,\u201d he alleged. \u201cThey fought him over every penny. He needed a special cane to walk, but they didn\u2019t want to pay for it. He needed dental treatment after being shot, they didn\u2019t want to pay for that either.\u00a0He waited over 12 months to receive any special counselling, which I believe contributed to his eventual breakdown and suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Northumbria Police said: \u201cOur thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of our former colleague David.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever an officer is injured in the line of duty we are committed to providing them with support.\u201d<\/p>\n

David had visited Darren \u2013 who moved to Australia in 2008 \u2013 shortly before his death, and it was before his return to the UK that he had posted some worrying tweets, including one in which he wrote: \u201cLost my sight, my job, my wife and my marriage\u2026 flying back on Monday and will say goodbye to my children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following his death, tributes flowed in for David, including one from former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett, who has been blind since birth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am deeply saddened and I am worried about his wife Kath and his family,\u201d Blunkett said (via BBC News<\/a>). \u201cThere was a man who was struggling inside as well as with the practicalities of coping with blindness. He was actually coping extremely well, but he didn\u2019t believe so. He was so hurt and frustrated and angry inside and felt that he wasn\u2019t coping when he was better at using new technology than I was.\u201d<\/p>\n

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David had been due to carry the Olympic torch during the Summer Olympics torch relay in June 2012. Instead, his 13-year-old daughter Mia, who wore a blindfold in his honour, was handed the flame in Whitburn and walked with it as part of the Gateshead to Durham leg of the tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means so much to Mia and the family that she\u2019s been given this opportunity to carry the Olympic torch in her dad\u2019s place,\u201d David\u2019s widow Kath said at the time (via Chronicle Live<\/a>)<\/em>. \u201cIt was a great honour for David to be nominated as a torch bearer by so many people and to be selected. I know he would be very proud to see his Mia carry the torch on his behalf.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now aged 24, Mia has a young son named Ronnie whose middle name is David, in tribute to his grandfather.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talk to Ronnie about David all the time, we show him photos,\u201d Kath told the Daily Mirror<\/a> in a recent interview. \u201cMia has a teddy bear that speaks in her dad\u2019s voice and we give that to him and let him hear his voice. Being a grandma to him is amazing, the best thing ever\u2026 But it is bittersweet, as David isn\u2019t here, and I know it is one of Mia\u2019s biggest regrets her dad won\u2019t be there for all of the milestones in her life.<\/p>\n

\u201cDavid is still very much a part of our lives. We think how lucky we were to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this\u00a0article, Samaritans<\/a> is available 24\/7 if you need to talk by calling 116 123, or by visiting the charity\u2019s website. You can also find help and support at Mind<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

\n
\n

The Hunt for Raoul Moat begins airing on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday 16th April.\u00a0<\/strong>For more news, interviews and features, visit our\u00a0Drama<\/a>\u00a0hub or find something to watch now with our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Streaming Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only \u00a31 with delivery to your home \u2013\u00a0subscribe now<\/a>. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to\u00a0The Radio Times Podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n

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