FUGITIVE killer Raoul Moat laughed after twice shooting PC David Rathband in the face having left him for dead, a court heard.

The 37-year-old got into the getaway car containing friends Karl Ness and Qhuran Awan and the three later drove past the scene as PC Rathband’s colleagues battled to save his life, said Robert Smith QC, prosecuting.

He said Mr Ness, 26, later admitted he and Mr Awan, 23, were at the scene of the Newcastle shooting.

It is claimed the men, who spent three days with Moat, were willing accomplices.

PC Rathband was blinded in July, a day after Moat shot ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and killed her new partner, Christopher Brown, in Birtley, near Chester-le- Street.

Mr Smith said: “He (Ness) said Raoul Moat had been looking for police all the time after the shooting of Christopher Brown and Samantha Stobbart.

“He said when Moat returned to the police car he could smell the shotgun and Moat had laughed.”

Mr Awan later told police he thought Moat would just shoot the patrol car’s tyre.

Both claim they were hostages, not accomplices of Moat, who later died after a stand-off with police in Rothbury, Northumberland.

Mr Ness, of Brookside, Dudley, North Tyneside, denies murdering Mr Brown.

Mr Ness and Mr Awan, of Rowley Street, Blyth, Northumberland, jointly deny conspiracy to murder police officers, attempted murder of PC Rathband, firearm and robbery charges.

The case continues.