Raoul Moat and Rothbury in Northumbria. Image: “Rothburycentre2” by Glennsmart at English Wikipedia & Moat public domain

The family of PC David Rathband who was shot by killer Raoul Moat have gone to the High Court in an action against his employer Northumbria Police.

PC Rathband was shot in his patrol car minutes after Moat contacted 999 to tell them he was hunting police.

It is these intervening minutes that form the basis of the claim stating that a failure to warn patrol officers of this information prevented PC Rathband taking any evasive action.

The resulting encounter with Moat ended with him being shot twice leaving him blinded.

The negligence action was originally taken by PC Rathband himself with any damages to pay for his ongoing healthcare.

After taking his own life in 2012, the purpose of the litigation is that potential damages will go to his children.

Live from the court:

David Rathband’s sister Debbie Essery gives a statement outside the court.

UK crime stories, 12 January 2016:

• Met says sorry to family of dead man
• Fake window cleaners jailed

Met says sorry to family of dead man

Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has said sorry to the family of Kester David for shortcomings in the investigation into his death.

Kester David from Wood Green who was 53.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said that officers had not done everything they should have after Mr David’s body was found under a railway bridge in April 2010.

At the time, a post-mortem examination concluded that he died of burns and smoke inhalation and detectives said his death was not suspicious.

But an inquest in January 2011 delivered an open verdict.

The Met opened a second investigation into Mr David’s death in 2012.

But the Met has said that the reinvestigation found no evidence that a third party was involved in Mr David’s death.

Mr David’s family has been informed of the decision.

Background to Met investigations:

Fake window cleaners jailed

Tony Dudley (left) and Robert Smythe

Two men who pretended to be window cleaners have been jailed.

Robert Smythe and Tony Dudley donned high-visibility jackets and squeejies as a disguise during several burglaries in central London.

The men targeted offices in the centre and stole thousands of pounds worth of IT equipment.

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at Southwark Crown Court and were sentenced to three years and four months’ imprisonment.

The Met Police reported that the two men drove around in a van filled with window-cleaning equipment, including a bucket of dirty water.

The men also carried crow bars, angle grinders and bolt croppers, which, upon his arrest on 15 October 2015, Smythe claimed were for window cleaning.

Reporting by Chris Delaney and Tom Hill