The story of Raoul Moat's North East shooting spree to be retold in true-crime TV drama

Released from Durham prison in July 2010, Moat went on the run after shooting three people in 24 hours.

The shooting spree of gunman Raoul Moat, who shot his ex-girlfriend's partner before wounding PC David Rathband and going on the run across the North East, is being adapted into a true-crime television drama.

It is one of the North East's most infamous criminal cases and saw Moat evade capture for days before eventually taking his own life in Rothbury in Northumberland.

Now, ITV has announced that filming has started on The Hunt For Raoul Moat which the broadcaster says will shine "a light on the human tragedies that lay behind Britain’s biggest manhunt, told through the eyes of those who sought to bring a violent killer to justice".

The drama has been written by novelist and screenwriter Kevin Sampson.

He said: "The hunt for Raoul Moat gripped me from the start, as it was the first such case to be covered ‘live’ by the new 24-hour news channels in the UK.

"Even then, it interested me that Moat was being portrayed by some as a ‘legend’ in spite of the brutality of his crimes.

"In 2022, violence against women remains rife and is all too often accompanied by a victim-blaming agenda. I hope this drama will go some way to condemning this narrative.”

The story of Raoul Moat

The Hunt for Raoul Moat begins with Moat’s ex-partner Samantha piecing her life back together following Moat’s imprisonment for an assault. He is then released from HMP Durham after serving a four-month sentence. Sam has a new boyfriend, Chris, and she is terrified of Moat’s return. 

Despite making serious threats against Sam from inside prison, the former Newcastle doorman is hellbent on rekindling their relationship. When he realises that isn’t going to happen, Moat equips himself with a shotgun to confront Sam and her new partner.

Released from Durham prison in July 2010, Moat went on the run after shooting three people in 24 hours. Despite Northumbria Police’s best efforts, Moat evaded them for over a week, threatening to kill police officers and members of the public. 

PC David Rathband was badly wounded after being shot by Raoul Moat whilst sat in a police patrol car above the A1 in Newcastle. Credit: ITV News Tyne Tees

The drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes - Christopher Brown, Samantha Stobbart and PC David Rathband; the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend Moat; and the local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story in a landscape of sensationalist reporting and social media provocation.

The Hunt for Raoul Moat will be produced by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, acclaimed producers of Anne, Line of Duty, The Pembrokeshire Murders and Vigil, in association with MultiStory Media. 

It has been commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, who will oversee production on behalf of the channel. 

Polly Hill said: "The Hunt for Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies behind the true story of Britain's biggest ever manhunt to apprehend a violent killer.  

"Following on from his success with Anne earlier this year, Kevin Sampson's scripts are once again insightful and compelling.

"Equally, the World Productions team are brilliant and they've set the bar extremely high for true-crime drama."