Just before we watch the new ITV dramatisation of the appalling actions and death of the crazed killer Raoul Moat, my wife and I chose to watch this original ITV documentary made and shown just after the actual events occurred, reshown on the back of the new drama.
Told over a 47 minute running time it's a straightforward account of events as they occurred, keeping to the original timeline on a day by day basis. Making the usual use of documentary footage of the time as well as up-to-date retrospective interviews with naturally the victim's family, although unsurprisingly not with his ex-girlfriend, in whose name he did what he did, as well as with the police officers and detectives who eventually tracked him down, even if they and especially his victims were ultimately denied seeing him face justice by his final cowardly act.
Possibly reflecting the desire to get this programme out as soon as possible, it commendably tells the story in a very-to-the-point fashion. I had actually forgotten about the peripheral involvement of the likes of Ray Mears and Paul Gascoigne in the case, but much more to the point was to learn the sad story of the policeman who he shot in the face who then took his own life a couple of years later, really making him Mouat's second victim.
Still as shocking to watch today as it was when it took over the news schedules 13 years ago you have to wonder about the combination of madness and evil in this person to make him act as he did. I don't know but maybe if I was related to his victims, inhuman as it may sound, maybe the final outcome was for the best.
