My police officer husband was shot by Raoul Moat before taking his own life – new ITV drama is bringing back all my pain
A GRIEVING widow of one of Raoul Moat’s victims has revealed her pain has come back as a new ITV drama about the manhunt is set to air.
Kath Rathband’s husband David Rathband was shot and blinded by killer Moat and later committed suicide due to his horrific injuries.
David left behind daughter Mia, then 12, and Ashley, then 17 – shattering the family.
Shockingly, Kath was notified by email about the new television drama, which she says she has no intention of watching.
Kath said of the ITV drama: “When I read it the first emotions were sadness, disappointment, and worry for the kids.
“I appreciate them informing me – but what I say isn’t going to change their decision. It is what it is, but I don’t understand why they are doing this. What happened was so well documented. It’s going to be painful for me and the kids.
“We have no intention of watching it, but it still has an impact as it’s on social media, on newsfeed, it’s everywhere again.”
The new documentary is made more difficult as the family was beginning to heal after the birth of Mia’s son Ronnie.
They talk about late David often to tot Ronnie, show him photos and let him hear his granddad’s voice through a teddy bear.
Kath said: “Being a grandma to him is amazing, the best thing ever. He just brings so much joy to all of us, and I love it.
“But it is bittersweet, as David isn’t here, and I know it is one of Mia’s biggest regrets her dad won’t be there for all of the milestones in her life. It troubles her hugely.”
“David is still very much a part of our lives. We think how lucky we were to have him.”
But Kath is still haunted by what happened to her late husband David, and says everytime she sees Moat’s photo, she flashes back to when it happened.
She said: “And when that happens, it’s like a video on repeat with no pause button. You’ve got no control over it at all and it’s horrible.”
In the early hours of July 3, 2010, Raoul Moat, a 37-year-old ex prisoner, began his killing spree at a flat in Gateshead armed with a sawn-off shotgun.
There, he shot his former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, then 22, who was horrifically injured but survived, and her new partner Chris Brown, 29, who didn’t.
The next day, Moat shot PC David Rathband, 42, in the face, after spotting him sitting in his police vehicle near the A1 in Newcastle
He Moat issued a chilling warning in a letter to police, declaring war on them, and promised not to stop his rampage “until I’m dead” and said “the public need to fear me”.
Moat then killed himself following a six-hour standoff with police in Rothbury.
The killer is set to be played by Matt Stokoe in the new ITV Drama “The Hunt for Raoul Moat”.
And actor Matt Stokoe, who plays the killer, found the role so draining that he had to take time out after filming finished.
Sally Brown, Chris Brown’s grieving mother, sat down at her semi-detached home to talk to The Sun about her view of the new TV show.
The 71-year-old, who uses a walking stick, said she felt it was wrong to bring attention to the tragedy again.