Raoul Moat 'letter': 'I'm a killer and a maniac'
A 49-page letter purporting to be from suspected gunman Raoul Moat has been published by the Sun newspaper. In it he vows to "keep killing police until I'm dead" and describes the motivation for his actions.
He has been on the run since allegedly shooting his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, 22, and killing her boyfriend, Chris Brown, 29, in Birtley, Gateshead, on Saturday. A police officer was also shot in his patrol car in Newcastle on Sunday.
Here are some key extracts from the letter.
Vow to police
Last night I called 999 and declared war on Northumbria Police before shooting an officer on the West End A69 roundabout in his T5. Sitting there waiting to bully someone.
Probably a single mum who couldn't afford her car tax.
Rang again and told them they're gonna pay for what they've done to me and Sam. I went straight but they couldn't let it go.
The public need not fear me but the police should as I won't stop till I'm dead.
'Maniac not coward'
They took it all from me, kids, freedom, house, then Sam... Where could I go from there?
Obviously I have issues but I was pushed. I never beat my kids. I could simply admit to anything now cos it doesn't matter.
I'm a killer and a maniac but I ain't no coward.
I was terrified of losing Sam, as I knew I'd lose the plot and that, and not wanted to do so stopped me from ever beating her and anyone saying otherwise can go on a lie detector.
Now I've realised Sam is really hurt I am gutted. I never meant that.
I still love her despite everything but my head is a mess right now and I know I'm too far gone to make much sense of it. I guess I've finally lost it.
Night of shooting
On the night 3/7/10 I shot Chris Brown and Samantha Stobbart, after an argument earlier that evening, and here I will make all the facts clear so there is no missunderstanding (sic).
Hid under ******'s window and waited. For an hour and a half, I listened to them mocking me.
It was hurtful listening to Sam, especially after nearly six years. They had opened a window and I could hear everything.
If I was ever going to back down, listening to them stopped that.
At 2.30am, they came out. I shot him in the chest and he ran off. Sam screamed and tried to stop me as I gave chase.
I fired the second and he went down. I pointed the gun at Sam to chase her and she ran off.
I reloaded two customised rounds. Sam's was half the powder, with small-gauge pellets. With a superficial injury she would get massive compensation payout for her, inadvertently providing for me when I'm gone.
And there would be small scarring, reminding her not to ever do this to anyone again. How could she have done this to me? I put the third round into his head and went to the window and fired at Sam. It hit but she seemed OK but I paused to be sure. She crawled to the kitchen quickly and hid behind the door.
I looked around for anyone else to shoot, there was no one, looked back at Sam, went to shoot myself, then changed my mind.
It's like the Hulk, it takes over and it's more than anger and it happens only when I'm hurt, and this time I was really hurt.
I've slept one hour per night for weeks now. It feels like I'm watching a film, not real at all.
'Sorry about Sam'
Those doctors better save her or I'll hit that hospital. I still love her despite everything but my head is a mess right now and I know I'm too far gone to make much sense of it.
I guess I've finally lost it. I'm not on the run, I will keep killing police until I am dead.
They've hunted me for years, now it's my turn.
I am very sorry about Sam and wish I hadn't shot at her. Just make sure she stays alive.
I never cheated on her, I wish she hadn't on me. She pulled the trigger by doing so just as much as me.
We'd known each other for a few years prior to this as she used to go to Newcastle drinking and talked to me while I worked on the door of Liquid Bar in the Bigg Market. We became quite close.
Sam was like no other and filled huge gaps in my life, and changed my view on life.
Always in my adult life I have felt alone, estranged from my entire family, and needing to belong somewhere but never did.
I used to try and fill this gap with beautiful women, but all relationships failed, as it was never enough. No matter how good the looks and personality, I wanted more, but I didn't know what.
All my life I wanted death, hence the reason I took risks, made the worst kind of enemies and behaved the way I did.
But now I had different thoughts. I wanted my life with Sam.
Someone who understood me and helped me be who I wanted to be. She was beautiful, sexy and the best company ever. We waited about two months before sleeping together which made it so much more special.
The letter is signed: "R.T. Moat".