17.06.73 - 10.07.10
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| Panel beater, bouncer, tree surgeon. |
1983 - Men Without Hats. 1996 - Babylon Zoo. 2000 - Baha Men. 2010 - Raoul Moat. For a few of weeks of 2010 Raoul Moat was the number one hit of the summer. The media went into a frenzy, the 24hr tv news channels were as happy as a dog with two cocks and a bowlful of discount cialis from the internet.
It was a story as old as time itself. Moat, a former doorman and overgrown radge-packet from Fenham marked his release from Durham prison after serving an 18 week sentence for assaulting a nine year old child by calling on his former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and her new partner Chris (not that one) Brown - and learning them with a shotgun. He then went on the run, pausing to shoot PC David Rathband in the face and rob the chippy in Seaton Delaval before disappearing into rural Northumberland. The hunt was on, the media popped another bluey.
Moat was on the run for a week. Northumbria police, after cadging armoured anti-terrorist vehicles from the Northern Ireland polis and an RAF jet off Prince William's lot, decided they also needed the help of TV survival teddybear Ray Mears. They drew the line at Gazza "Paul" Gascoigne however, after he turned up offering his services during the final stand-off in which Moat died. Seemingly the ability to methodically track the movements of a feral lunk in open country outweighed the 'chicken and fishing' brand of negotiation offered by the clown prince of British drinking. And people say the peelers don't know what they're doing.
There was no denying that Moat divided opinion, while the media jostled for position to spurt out condemnation in their own game of soggy biscuit, others viewed Moat as a man pushed to breaking point by the system. A maverick. A renegade. Dorty Harry. Despite having no connection at all to Moat, swatika-tattooed Teresa Bystram from Surrey took three of her children on a 550 mile round trip to attend the funeral of her hero. "It was better than Legoland" she said; obviously not a plastic fan.
Moat was on the run for a week. Northumbria police, after cadging armoured anti-terrorist vehicles from the Northern Ireland polis and an RAF jet off Prince William's lot, decided they also needed the help of TV survival teddybear Ray Mears. They drew the line at Gazza "Paul" Gascoigne however, after he turned up offering his services during the final stand-off in which Moat died. Seemingly the ability to methodically track the movements of a feral lunk in open country outweighed the 'chicken and fishing' brand of negotiation offered by the clown prince of British drinking. And people say the peelers don't know what they're doing.
There was no denying that Moat divided opinion, while the media jostled for position to spurt out condemnation in their own game of soggy biscuit, others viewed Moat as a man pushed to breaking point by the system. A maverick. A renegade. Dorty Harry. Despite having no connection at all to Moat, swatika-tattooed Teresa Bystram from Surrey took three of her children on a 550 mile round trip to attend the funeral of her hero. "It was better than Legoland" she said; obviously not a plastic fan.
Chris Brown died. Stobbart survived, Moat sent a card to her in hospital whilst on the run saying '"no joke, get well soon". PC Rathband was permanently blinded but went on to complete the London marathon in 2011, saying afterwards: “During the race I took myself back to the night I was shot. It hurt that much – but not as much as when I was shot – and I literally ran in my mind from the car to the local hospital up the road just to finish the last three miles.” Lumme. Aye, British bobbies - best in the world.
Status: Gone but not forgotten
Lookalike: Junior Gorg (The Gym Years)
In Three Words: One hit wonder
Status: Gone but not forgotten
Lookalike: Junior Gorg (The Gym Years)
In Three Words: One hit wonder
