Raoul Moat’s henchmen to get prison sentences
Karl Ness and Qhuram Awan conspired with Moat before, during and after he shot three people, killing one and seriously injuring the others.
The jury at Newcastle Crown Court convicted Ness of murder, and both defendants of conspiracy to murder, attempted murder and robbery.
Ness was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Awan was cleared of that charge.
PC David Rathband, who was left blinded when Moat shot him in the face, hugged his sobbing wife Kath in the public gallery as the verdicts were delivered.
Ness, 26, of Dudley, North Tyneside, was with steroid addict Moat on the night he calmly executed karate expert Chris Brown, 29.
Brown’s mother Sally was also in tears as the verdicts were delivered.
Both defendants appeared to collapse when they learned their fate and held their heads in the hands for several minutes.
Sentencing was adjourned until Tuesday.
Relatives of victims cried “Yes!” when the unanimous verdicts were read out. One male jury member appeared overcome by the emotion in the courtroom and had his head in his hands.
Ness and Awan helped Moat stay one step ahead of the law during his rampage in July last year.
The men claimed they were held hostage by Moat, who killed himself during a stand-off with police in Rothbury, Northumberland. But Ness had helped Moat find out information about Brown using the internet.
After Brown was murdered, Moat turned his gun on his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, 22, who had been seeing Brown while Moat was in prison.
While in prison, Moat had ordered Ness to spy on her to catch her with a new man.
