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David Rathband Memorial Attended By Hundreds (PICTURES)

PA/The Huffington Post UK  |  By   |  Posted: 10/03/2012 12:54 Updated: 10/03/2012 12:54

Pc Rathband

Hundreds of people have gathered to honour the life of blinded Pc David Rathband at a cathedral service.

Among the mourners at St Nicholas' Cathedral, Newcastle, were policing minister Nick Herbert, actor Tim Healy and Northumbria Police chief constable Sue Sim.

The officer's children Mia, 13, and Ashley, 19, were seated at the front of the historic church.

Six pallbearers from the police, fire and ambulance service carried his coffin through the cathedral.

His twin Darren, who organised the service as a celebration of Pc Rathband's life, wept as he placed a hand on the coffin, which was draped in a union flag, covered with lilies and his police cap.

Orange flowers down the side of the vehicle spelt out Pc Rathband's call sign - Tango 190.

His brother was joined by Pc Rathband's children in front of the cathedral door.

He gave them words of comfort before they followed the coffin inside.


Darren Rathband, David's twin brother

Earlier this week his grieving twin broke down as he described how his brother had nobody there to help him in his "darkest moments."

His voice breaking with emotion, Darren Rathband said his brother, who was found hanged six days ago, was let down, explaining: "In his darkest moments there was nobody to help him."

He said the former officer found life "too hard" after he was blinded by Raoul Moat in July 2010 as he sat unarmed in a police patrol car.

Have you been affected by the issues in this story? In the UK, call The Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90. For more support and advice, visit the website here.

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Hundreds of people have gathered to honour the life of blinded Pc David Rathband at a cathedral service. Among the mourners at St Nicholas' Cathedral, Newcastle, were policing minister Nick Herbert...
Hundreds of people have gathered to honour the life of blinded Pc David Rathband at a cathedral service. Among the mourners at St Nicholas' Cathedral, Newcastle, were policing minister Nick Herbert...
 
 
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Brumbabe9
1 Fans
08:30 PM on 03/10/2012
GOOD NIGHT GOD BLESS YOU DAVID SO SAD TO HAVE TO WAVE YOU A GOODBYE....SAD LOSS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND A BAD BAD PATCH THAT ARRIVED IN YOUR LIFE AND YES TOOK YOU AWAY...YOU WILL REMAIN IN MY THOUGHTS DAVID G/N/GOD BLESS
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nete peedham
154 Fans
 
12:57 AM on 03/11/2012
His funeral is not about you.
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Vicomte1964
0 Fans
08:18 PM on 03/10/2012
return to death penalty in all Europe Countries for crimes against children, vulnerable people, police officers.
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nete peedham
154 Fans
 
12:57 AM on 03/11/2012
And that will prevent...what? Do you HONESTLY think that anyone moronic enough to commit the crimes that you mention would be deterred by any law?
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EuroRant1
ExPat - Living outside, Looking in
410 Fans
02:01 AM on 03/11/2012
Please this is not the time or place to be calling for our nations to return to middle-age barbaric practises. Shame on you, that you would ever stoop to that level as an opportunity of leverage to convince us to become state-sanctioned murderers.
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Mister J G Reeder
21 Fans
04:07 PM on 03/10/2012
@Huffpost: Futue te ipsum et caballum tuum. STOP removing comments just because they do not fit your agenda. The cold war is over and we are supposed to be living in a free society and you have no right to dictate to people what they should be thinking and saying. George Orwell warned the world about this sort of thing back in the 1940s.
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miss wirewaist
5 Fans
08:42 PM on 03/10/2012
IDEM. MISS WIREWAIST.
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nete peedham
154 Fans
 
12:55 AM on 03/11/2012
I have proposed making moderating(meddlerating) a criminal offence...to be lumped in with censorship. These people should be jailed and/or denied access to computers.
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Lolman1234134
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03:37 PM on 03/10/2012
Yes its sad, but please stop leeching off stories of the funeral just for a story to report and make money.
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nete peedham
154 Fans
 
12:53 AM on 03/11/2012
Ahhh, the Taste Police are here. I'm SO glad.
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Macready
2514 Fans
02:57 PM on 03/10/2012
this is so tragic . . . .RIP David Rathband -- my condolences to your family and friends
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