Raoul Moat Facebook tribute page removed

A CONTROVERSIAL webpage dedicated to gunman Raoul Moat on Facebook has been removed.

The ‘RIP Raoul Moat you Legend’ page on the popular social networking site had attracted over 30,000 supporters since it was set up.

The page had been condemned by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said that he could not understand the sympathy being expressed for Moat, whom he branded a “callous murderer”.

But after a Downing Street official telephoned the social networking site to raise Cameron’s concerns, Facebook put out a statement on Wednesday night making clear it had no intention of removing the webpage.

The creator of the Facebook page, Siobhan O’Dowd, confirmed she had taken the page down, but did not rule out putting it back up.

Asked why she removed the page, she said: “I don’t know really. A few of us came to a decision, but it’s going to be up again running. We don’t condone what he did, as what he did was wrong. I feel sorry for the families, but he was still a human being at the end of the day.

“He had problems and needed help and he didn’t get any help.”

Asked about the furore over the Facebook group, she said: “To be honest, I didn’t think this would be the kind of reaction I would get. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Even Facebook said that and that’s why they wouldn’t shut it down.”

O’Dowd said she had not been threatened since creating the page. “I cannot get threatened for having an opinion, surely?”

Meanwhile, police arrested a further two men yesterday on suspicion of assisting Moat.