In July 2010, the largest police manhunt in modern British history unfolded across Northumberland after a single gunman shot three people in the space of two days. The perpetrator, Raoul Moat, was a 37-year-old former doorman and tree surgeon from Fenham, Newcastle, who had been released from prison just days before the attacks began. Over seven days, Moat evaded capture by armed officers, took refuge in woodlands, and eventually died by suicide after a six-hour standoff near the town of Rothbury.
The case drew intense media scrutiny, not only because of the violence itself but also due to a bizarre intervention by former England footballer Paul Gascoigne, who arrived at the standoff scene attempting to talk Moat down. The story has been revisited in multiple documentaries, news specials, and cultural references, cementing its place in the public memory as one of the UK’s most dramatic true-crime events.
Below is a comprehensive account of who Raoul Moat was, how the shootings unfolded, the controversial moments surrounding the manhunt, and what has been said about the case in the years since.
Who Was Raoul Moat? Background and Criminal History
- Raoul Moat’s attack was triggered by his release from prison and a personal dispute with his ex-girlfriend’s family.
- The manhunt involved over 160 armed police officers and became one of the largest in UK history.
- Paul Gascoigne’s unexpected appearance at the standoff turned the event into a media spectacle and raised questions about police handling.
- David Rathband, the blinded police officer, became a campaigner for emergency services before his own death in 2012.
- Raoul Moat’s story continues to generate public interest through documentaries, books, and pop culture references.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Raoul Thomas Moat |
| Born | 16 January 1973, Fenham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
| Died | 10 July 2010, Rothbury, Northumberland (suicide by gunshot) |
| Occupation | Tree surgeon, doorman (bouncer) |
| Criminal record | Previous convictions for assault and violence |
| Notable event | Northumbria Police manhunt (2010) |
Raoul Moat was born in Fenham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on 16 January 1973. Before the shootings, he worked as a tree surgeon and a doorman. Court records show he had previous convictions for assault and violent behaviour. In 2010, he was serving an 18-week sentence for assault at HMP Durham and was released on 1 July 2010. Days after his release, he began a violent rampage that would leave one man dead and two others seriously injured.
What Was the Timeline of the Raoul Moat Shootings?
The attacks began in the early hours of 3 July 2010 and escalated rapidly over the following days. Northumbria Police mounted what sources describe as one of the largest manhunts in modern British history, with around 160 armed officers and specialist vehicles deployed. The following breakdown covers the key events in chronological order.
The First Attack: Christopher Brown and Samantha Stobbart
In the early hours of 3 July 2010, Moat went to a house in Birtley, near Gateshead, where his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart was staying with her new partner, Christopher Brown. Moat shot Brown dead and seriously wounded Stobbart. She survived the attack but suffered lasting physical and psychological injuries. At this point, Moat became a fugitive and Northumbria Police publicly named him as a wanted man, warning the public not to approach him.
The Second Attack: PC David Rathband
On 4 July 2010, Moat struck again. He approached a marked police vehicle in Newcastle and shot PC David Rathband at close range. Rathband was left permanently blinded by the attack. He later became a public advocate for emergency services personnel before being found dead at his home in 2012; an inquest recorded a verdict of suicide. The shooting of an unarmed police officer intensified the search and drew national attention.
The Manhunt and Rothbury Standoff
Between 4 and 9 July, armed officers from multiple forces scoured the countryside around Rothbury and the wider Northumberland region. Moat moved through woodland, leaving notes and making phone calls to police. On 9 July, he was tracked to an area near Cragside, Rothbury, and surrounded. A six-hour standoff ensued, during which negotiators attempted to persuade him to surrender. During the standoff, Paul Gascoigne appeared at the cordon, claiming he knew Moat and wanted to help. The standoff ended on 10 July when Moat shot himself in the head. He was pronounced dead in hospital at 02:20 BST.
The inquest into Raoul Moat’s death recorded a verdict of suicide. Despite online speculation that police may have shot him, the official finding confirms a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The six-hour standoff involved specialist negotiators and armed response units, but no police firearm was discharged at Moat.
How Did Raoul Moat Die? The Standoff and Suicide
The final hours of the manhunt unfolded in a field near Rothbury. After days of evasion, Moat was located by police using heat-seeking technology and aerial surveillance. He was surrounded and refused to leave his hiding position. Negotiators spoke with him by phone, and at one point he fired a shot, but no officers were injured.
The Final Moments
Accounts from the scene indicate that Moat threatened to shoot police before turning the gun on himself. After several hours of negotiation, he fired a single shot to his own head. Paramedics treated him at the scene, and he was airlifted to hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The BBC reported that the death was confirmed at 02:20 BST on 10 July 2010.
Was There Any Intervention by Police?
Some online forums and conspiracy theories have suggested that police marksmen may have fired the fatal shot. However, the official inquest, which examined ballistic evidence and witness testimony, concluded that Moat died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No evidence has emerged to support claims of police involvement in his death.
What Is the Connection Between Raoul Moat and Gazza (Paul Gascoigne)?
One of the most unusual episodes of the entire manhunt was the appearance of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne at the standoff site on 10 July 2010. Gascoigne, who had a well-documented history of personal struggles, claimed he knew Moat and drove to Rothbury to try to talk him down. He arrived carrying a bucket of fried chicken, a fishing rod, and a can of lager, according to contemporaneous reports.
Paul Gascoigne later stated that he believed he could persuade Moat to surrender because he knew him from Newcastle. Police questioned Gascoigne after the incident but did not charge him with any offence. The incident became a heavily discussed footnote in the story, raising questions about how the cordon was managed.
Gascoigne’s arrival at the scene drew sharp criticism from police and politicians, who argued that his presence risked complicating an already tense negotiation. Angle Journal notes that his intervention has been cited in training discussions about managing high-profile crisis events. Gascoigne himself has spoken about the episode in interviews, describing it as an attempt to help an old acquaintance.
Is There a Raoul Moat Documentary, Book, or Media Coverage?
The Raoul Moat case has been revisited in several documentary and drama productions. ITV and other broadcasters have produced multiple programmes about the manhunt, including the documentary Manhunt: The Raoul Moat Story, which focuses on the impact of the rampage on victims, families, and the wider community. The documentary is listed on IMDb as a TV movie/documentary covering the event. Multistory Media also produced content examining the case.
The name Chris Brown has caused confusion online because it matches that of the American singer. The man killed by Moat was a different Chris Brown — a local resident of Gateshead who was the new partner of Moat’s ex-girlfriend. There is no connection between the two individuals beyond the coincidence of sharing a common name.
Several true-crime books have covered the manhunt, and the case is frequently referenced in podcasts and YouTube documentaries. As of 2025, no major Netflix documentary has been released, but the story remains a staple of UK true-crime programming. The Gascoigne connection ensures continued crossover interest from sports and popular culture audiences.
How Long Did the Raoul Moat Manhunt Last?
The manhunt lasted seven full days, from the first shooting on 3 July 2010 to Moat’s death on 10 July 2010. However, the active search phase began in earnest after the second shooting on 4 July and continued until the standoff on 9–10 July. The following ordered list outlines the sequence of events with source attribution.
- 1 July 2010: Moat released from HMP Durham after an 18-week sentence for assault. (RTE News)
- 3 July 2010: Moat shot Christopher Brown (fatal) and wounded Samantha Stobbart in Birtley, Gateshead. (Chronicle Live)
- 4 July 2010: Moat shot PC David Rathband in Newcastle, blinding him. Police launched a large-scale manhunt. (Crime & Investigation)
- 4–9 July 2010: Moat evaded capture across Northumberland; armed units and aerial assets joined the search.
- 9 July 2010: Moat tracked to Rothbury/Cragside; six-hour standoff began. (Radio Times)
- 10 July 2010 (dawn): Paul Gascoigne arrived at the cordon attempting to intervene.
- 10 July 2010: Moat shot himself; death pronounced at 02:20 BST.
- 2012: David Rathband died by suicide; inquest recorded verdict of suicide. (The Week)
Did Police Shoot Raoul Moat? Separating Fact from Rumour
Online discussions about the Moat case sometimes circulate claims that police officers fired the fatal shot rather than Moat himself. These claims are not supported by official evidence.
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| Moat died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound (inquest verdict: suicide). | Some online speculation persists that police may have shot Moat; official inquest confirmed suicide. |
| Moat shot three people: Samantha Stobbart, Chris Brown (fatal), and David Rathband. | The exact nature of the relationship between Moat and Gazza remains unclear beyond a brief phone call. |
| Paul Gascoigne did attend the standoff scene on 10 July 2010. | Some conspiracy theories claim Moat was targeting specific police officers; not substantiated by evidence. |
| The manhunt lasted seven days across Northumberland. | — |
Why Did Raoul Moat Become a Fugitive?
Moat’s actions appear rooted in a personal grievance following the breakdown of his relationship with Samantha Stobbart. After his release from prison on 1 July 2010, he learned that Stobbart had begun a new relationship with Christopher Brown. In a letter later found by police, Moat expressed anger and a desire for revenge. He also made phone calls to police during the standoff in which he outlined his grievances.
The police response was one of the largest mobilisations in UK law enforcement history. Northumbria Police coordinated with other forces, deploying armed officers, helicopters, and specialist negotiators. The operation was criticised in some quarters for allowing Gascoigne to approach the cordon, but overall the manhunt was considered operationally effective in containing a dangerous individual without further loss of life.
Public reaction to Moat was overwhelmingly negative, though a small number of online commenters expressed sympathy — an unsubstantiated “Robin Hood” myth that has been debunked by all credible sources. The overwhelming response from the public and media was one of condemnation and support for the victims.
What Did Official Sources Say About the Raoul Moat Case?
Several official and journalistic sources provided coverage during and after the manhunt. The following quotes come from verified reports published by major outlets.
“Raoul Moat died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head. An inquest recorded a verdict of suicide.”
— BBC News (source)
“Raoul Moat was a former bouncer from Newcastle who had a violent history.”
— ITV News (source)
“The manhunt concluded when Moat died by suicide having shot himself near the town of Rothbury.”
— Wikipedia: 2010 Northumbria Police manhunt (source)
What Is the Lasting Legacy of the Raoul Moat Manhunt?
The case remains a defining moment in UK true crime, referenced in music, documentaries, and journalism. The intersection of the manhunt with Paul Gascoigne’s biography ensures continued cultural crossover interest. Public fascination with the story persists, driven by periodic anniversaries, new documentary releases, and ongoing discussion of the victims’ experiences. For readers interested in other high-profile cases with detailed timelines, the Otto Warmbier – The Full Story of Arrest, Coma and Death offers a similarly thorough examination of a controversial death investigation, while James Garfield – 20th President and Assassination Timeline provides a historical parallel in terms of public fascination with violent events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Raoul Moat related to the singer Chris Brown?
No. The Chris Brown killed by Moat was a different Chris Brown — a local man who was the new partner of Moat’s ex-girlfriend.
Why did Paul Gascoigne (Gazza) visit Raoul Moat?
Gascoigne claimed he had known Moat and drove to Rothbury to try to talk him down. Police later questioned him; he was not charged.
Was the Raoul Moat manhunt the biggest in UK history?
It was one of the largest, involving over 160 armed officers and significant media coverage, but not the largest overall (e.g., hunt for Dale Cregan was larger).
What happened to Raoul Moat’s body?
After the inquest, his body was released to his family for a private funeral.
Is there a Netflix documentary about Raoul Moat?
As of 2025, no major Netflix documentary exists, but several UK TV documentaries and YouTube videos cover the case.
Freddie Arthur Cooper Harrison is Editor-in-Chief of PopCulture UK, covering film, TV, music and celebrity news. He is accountable for the newsroom's editorial standards, and leads its sourcing and fact-checking process so that every article separates verified fact from rumour and is reviewed before publication.