Suicide verdict in Moat inquest

A jury at the inquest of Raoul Moat, who shot himself in the head with a sawn-off shotgun, has returned a unanimous verdict of suicide.

Police fired shotgun Tasers as Moat prepared to kill himself in Rothbury, Northumberland, in July last year, but the round had no effect on him, the three-week inquest at Newcastle Crown Court heard. The 37-year-old ex-doorman was surrounded by police marksmen, and negotiators tried for six hours to get him to surrender. The inquest heard that the aim was to incapacitate him, allowing officers to make an arrest.

Moat was on the run after shooting his ex-girlfriend Sam Stobbart, murdering her new boyfriend Chris Brown, and then blinding Pc David Rathband.

Officers were offered and accepted X12 Taser shotguns which were only licensed for testing in the UK. It was the first time firearms officers had seen the weapons. Two shots were fired – one round hit his forearm, the other missed – and moments later he shot himself.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has cleared officers involved in Moat's death of any wrongdoing.