Raoul Moat inquest: Suicide notes and noose found

Raoul Moat went on the run for a week after the shootings

Suicide notes written by gunman Raoul Moat were found by police after he went on a "murderous rampage", an inquest into his death has heard.

Officers found six letters in the 37-year-old's house, including one to his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, saying he could not live without her.

He went on to shoot her, blind Pc David Rathband and kill Miss Stobbart's new boyfriend Chris Brown in July 2010.

The Newcastle jury was also told ammunition and a noose were found.

The shootings sparked a manhunt and a standoff with police armed with Taser stun devices in the Northumberland village of Rothbury. It ended with Moat's death.

The inquest was told that in the letter to Miss Stobbart, Moat expressed his love for her, adding: "Knowing you hate me is tearing me apart."

In another to his business partner and friend Karl Ness, he wrote: "Sorry mate, I'm done with it all. Please take the company if you want it. I can't do this any more."

The jury was told the failed relationship with Ms Stobbart was the catalyst for his rampage.

Moat warned her he was "going to go crazy" after she told him she wanted him out of her life, the jury heard.

In a prison phone call which triggered his actions, Ms Stobbart told Moat that her new boyfriend could knock him out.

Moat killed his love rival Chris Brown, 29, in Birtley, Gateshead, then shot Miss Stobbart, 22, leaving her in a critical condition.

The next night he shot and blinded Pc David Rathband, who was sitting in a patrol car in Newcastle.

Moat died a week later after the stand-off with police.

Supt Jim Napier of Northumbria Police told the hearing: "It is clear from the evidence that Moat's break-up with Samantha Stobbart was the catalyst for his murderous acts.

"They (the letters) appear to have been prepared by Moat and all intimated that he intended to take his own life."

A noose and ammunition were found in the loft of Raoul Moat's house

The inquest was told that while serving 18 weeks for assaulting a child, Moat spoke several times to Ms Stobbart and, as was usual practice, the calls were recorded.

In one call, she told him the relationship was over.

Moat said: "We had one argument the other day. Let's not get all silly about it."

He complained that he was getting "picked on".

The conversation ended with the phone being slammed down.

Shortly before Pc Rathband was shot, Moat called Northumbria Police to say he was hunting for officers.

He told a call handler he had two hostages who would be killed if he was approached.

Mr Napier explained to the jury the hostages were in fact Ness and Qhuram Awan, who have received life sentences for helping Moat.

A recording of Moat calling police after the shooting of Pc Rathband was played, with him saying: "Are you taking us serious now? I have just downed your officer."

He finished: "You are going to kill me because I'm never going to stop."

Moat left a note with a friend which said: "I'm a killer and a maniac but I ain't a coward.

"I'm not on the run, I will keep killing police until I am dead.

"They've hunted me for years, now it's my turn."

Coroner David Mitford said an inquest was needed because "Mr Moat met his death when he was effectively detained".

Barristers for the Moat family, the chief constable of Northumbria, West Yorkshire Police officers and Pro-Tec Limited, the firm that supplied new shotgun Taser weapons, were in court.

The inquest, which is expected to last five weeks, will focus on the events in Rothbury on 9 and 10 July when Moat was found, the coroner said.

There will be questions about weapons used, how police managed the incident, how officers dealt with the deceased and how he acted, the jury was told.