Policeman Blinded By Raoul Moat Determined To Carry On With Life

Pc David Rathband said he would learn to use a white stick or rely on a guide dog to carry on with his life.

The 42-year-old married father of two said he was “devastated” by his injuries but that he was not going to spend too much time reflecting on what happened.

Pc Rathband was shot twice by Moat, in the face and the shoulder, as he sat in his patrol car on the outskirts of Newcastle.

He was released from Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary 17 days after being injured.

Initially, the officer thought he might only lose his sight in one eye but has since learned that will probably never be able to see again.

“It’s going to very difficult and I’m devastated, but I’m not going to dwell on it because if I do then, in my opinion, it will block out all of the things that I need to achieve to get to where I need to be.”

Pc Rathband said he was fortunate enough to have had his sight until now, so had memories of his wife, children and his life.

“I’m the lucky one and if I can master the art of walking, whether it be with a white stick or with a guide dog, I’ll be no different to anybody else,” he told BBC Five Live.

“I’m on the mend. I’m obviously looking forward to going home and I’ve managed to negotiate an early release from the ward sister.

“My facial injuries have all been sorted by the plastics team at the hospital and it’s just a case of allowing my jaw and face and stuff to knit together.

“I have to come back in three to four weeks to have another examination of my left eye just to see if there’s something they can salvage from that.”

Pc Rathband said he felt no bitterness towards Moat but was angry to be disabled.

“I am angry that he took my sight but I am not angry he shot me, I am not bitter towards him as an individual.”

However, he did concede thaking the next step on his career – promotion – “may be a little harder than it was”.

Pc Rathband insisted he would continue as an officer, adding: “I’m just a policeman and a person very proud to be a policeman and that’s one of the things that keeps me going. I want to get back to a job that I enjoyed doing.”

He defended Northumbria police who have been criticised for their actions while Moat was on the loose.

“I’m not party to all of the decision processes that were in place by my senior officers, but one thing I can say is that, as far as I’m concerned, on the morning that I became involved in this incident, albeit directly, my colleagues have been nothing but professional.”

He insisted the outcome of the investigation into the incident “will be the right one”.