The Hunt For Raoul Moat drama: Viewers shocked by support for killer on run

The Hunt For Raoul Moat shocked and disgusted some viewers with its portrayal of the support for the killer when he went on the run from police in 2010.

Lee Ingleby, Sonya Cassidy and Vineeta Rishi star in ITV true crime drama about the ex-prisoner who went on the run in Northumbria after a shooting spree in which he murdered one person and wounded two others before taking his own life following a stand-off with armed police.

Matt Stokoe plays Moat, whose week on the run in July 2010 was highly publicised in the media, especially after former footballer Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne arrived at the crime scene claiming to be a close friend of the fugitive.

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In the drama The A Word star Ingleby, who played investigating police officer Chief Supt. Neil Adamson, was shown going for a drink in a pub where he heard a group chanting: "Raoul Moat is our mate, he killed coppers."

Moat killed his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart's new partner Christopher Brown, who he wrongly believed to be a police officer, and then shot and blinded PC David Rathband while he sat in a police car.

Viewers of the true crime drama were angered by the portrayal of public support for the criminal in the show.

One tweeted: "I’m literally shocked people were praising Raoul Moat like this and singing songs glorifying him killing coppers ! Absolute madness and so disgusting. I hope those people are ashamed #TheHuntforRaoulMoat"

Another said: "Genuinely cannot believe that people supported, and encouraged Raoul Moat in his carnage. None of that monsters victims deserved what he did to them.

"Put my heart breaks for PC David Rathband, who was shot simply because of the uniform he had on. Rest easy mate. #RaoulMoat"

And another declared: "The more I’m watching about the #RaoulMoat case, the more disturbing it’s becoming. People actually thought he was a victim and some sort of hero! absolutely dreadful to those poor victims."

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But one viewer insisted: "There's dramatisation, there's artistic licence and then there's utter b*****ks that defames an entire region.

"It was a miniscule minority who actually supported #RaoulMoat. Most people were utterly shocked when it happened, they blamed the system but didn't think he was right!"

The final episode of The Hunt for Raoul Moat airs at 9pm, Tuesday 18 April, on ITV1. The full series will be available to stream on ITVX.

Watch a trailer for The Hunt for Raoul Moat