Raoul Moat victim's family blame police

The family of Raoul Moat's murder victim today blamed police for not warning him that his life was in danger.

Chris Brown's mother also criticised his girlfriend Samantha Stobbart - Moat's ex - for telling the burly former nightclub doorman that she was dating a police officer.

Sally Brown, speaking from her home in Slough, Berkshire, said Northumbria Police should have protected her karate instructor son.

She told ITV News: "If he (Moat) was such a threat and they (the police) were warned.

"They could have warned him. They could have been keeping an eye on him."

Mr Brown's sister Sally added: "Maybe they couldn't have stopped it but they could have done more."

Mr Brown, 29, was targeted by Moat because he had begun a relationship with Miss Stobbart, 22.

He had recently moved from Slough, Berkshire, to the Gateshead area to take up a job as a karate instructor.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is already investigating whether the police responded adequately to a warning from Durham Prison that Moat might intend to cause serious harm to Miss Stobbart.

Today, Mrs Brown criticised the police for not warning her son of the risk Moat posed.

"When he (Moat) came out and they had that warning, whoever got that warning should have taken it further," she said.

"And, yes, I blame them but I also blame Samantha because Samantha knew what this man was like, she knew what this man was capable of, yet she put my son up front.

"Why tell him my son was a policeman? Why do that? Why goad the man?

"She knew what he was capable of. Why do it? And, yeah, I blame her."

During the tearful interview, Mrs Brown was accompanied by her daughter, Sally, who said: "The biggest thing of all is that we haven't had a 'sorry' from anybody. None of the family."

Her mother added: "Not that it would make a difference.

"I like to think that, if one of my children had done something like that, I would be the first to say I'm sorry for what they done.

"But nothing, not a thing."

Miss Brown was critical of how some people were making Moat out to be a hero.

"I don't understand now, for some reason, why he is being praised and seen as some hero. It's wrong," she said.

Mrs Brown continued: "I saw a clip yesterday of his brother saying it was a public execution.

"What did he do to my boy if he didn't publicly execute him?"

She said her son had been shot three times in the head by Moat during the early hours of July 3.

"What is that if it is not an execution?"