Cameron: Raoul Moat was a “callous murderer”
DAVID Cameron branded crazed gunman Raoul Moat a “callous murderer” yesterday and vented his anger over an internet tribute site dedicated to the killer.
The Prime Minister said any public sympathy should be reserved for the maniac’s victims and expressed his dismay to Facebook.
But the social networking giants last night refused to remove the offensive “tribute” pages.
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Moat, a 37-year-old convicted child abuser, blasted karate teacher Chris Brown, 29, to death after he became involved with Moat’s ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart.
The monster then tried to shoot the 22-year-old hairdresser dead before going on the run. Hours later he shot traffic policeman PC David Rathband twice in the face, leaving the father-of-two blinded.
Moat killed himself after being cornered on Friday night following a £1.5million week-long police hunt.
More than 28,000 people have so far signed up to the page entitled: “RIP Raoul Moat You legend”. Many messages express fury at the police and pour scorn on Moat’s victims.
Mr Cameron said in the Commons: “It is absolutely clear that Raoul Moat was a callous murderer, full stop, end of story. I cannot understand any wave, however small, of public sympathy for this man.
“There should be sympathy for his victims and the havoc he wreaked in that community. There should be no sympathy for him.” A spokesman said an official passed on his dismay to Facebook.
But a spokeswoman for the social networking site said: “Facebook is a place where people can express their views and discuss things in an open way as they can and do in many other places, and as such we sometimes find people discussing topics others may find distasteful. However, that is not a reason in itself to stop a debate from happening.”
Britain’s most senior policeman, Scotland Yard boss Sir Paul Stephenson, branded the ghoulish tributes as “extraordinarily disappointing”.
About 50 bouquets have been left outside Moat’s home in Newcastle upon Tyne and dozens more at the spot in Rothbury, Northumberland, where he shot himself. Locals have demanded the “shrine” be removed.
PC Rathband, 42, yesterday recalled the moment he was shot. He said: “I looked into his eyes and I saw nothing – no emotion. Then I felt the pain full-on in my face.” Bleeding heavily, he “played dead”, fearing that Moat would return.
Meanwhile, police revealed yesterday there were more than 700 potential sightings of Moat during the week he was on the run.
