Mother warned Moat accused about gunman

The mother of a man accused of helping shotgun maniac Raoul Moat told a court that she had warned her son his only friend was no good.

Karl Ness, 26, is accused of assisting the former doorman's murderous rampage in July, in which Moat shot his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, killed her new boyfriend Chris Brown and blinded unarmed Pc David Rathband within 24 hours.

Ness and co-accused Qhuram Awan, 23, claimed they were being held hostage and feared for their families, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.

Ness's mother Maureen told the jury: "If Karl mentioned Raoul, I would say: 'Don't go. You don't have anything to do with him' because I didn't think he was any good. Karl took no notice. He just said: 'It's OK, Mam.'"

Kelly Ness, married to the defendant's brother Michael, told police her brother-in-law was not aggressive and described him as "very laid-back".

After Moat shot Pc Rathband, Ness wrote her two notes, which were dropped at her house.

One included the lines: "He has me as a hostage and my friend as the driver."

Ness denies murdering Mr Brown.