Daily Star, GTA Rothbury and Channel 5

To be honest with you I'd missed this story last week. Apparently the Daily Star managed to claim that Rockstar had started work on GTA Rothbury, a game based on the brief visit to the village by killer Raoul Moat. They reportedly went to members of victims families for comment an mocked up a cover for the game (shown to the upper right). Thinq reports on it here.

Now the Daily Star have had to publish a grovelling apology and give "substantial damages" to Rockstar, who are going to give them to charity.

I know what you're thinking, and I agree, it'd be a terrible game. The one playable character looks like an angry potato, and you only get to shoot four people - one of whom is yourself. The rest of your time is sat in a tent or drain writing letters.

And it's also a fucking disgusting thing to do to sell your piss-poor "newspaper". All of those involved should be absolutely fucking ashamed. That is Jerry Lawton, who wrote the article. Editor Dawn Neesom. And owner Richard Desmond. Take a round of applause all of you, in a theatre named simply 'cunts'.

Desmond, of course, has been in the news for other reasons recently. The porn , magazine and newspaper baron has gone the whole media hog and bought out terrestrial UK tv station, Channel 5. Whilst such centralised media ownership can never be a good thing, I'm not sure how Channel 5 could become any more low-brow and sensational. I await Mr Desmond's attempts with some interest.

At the very least we can expect some top quality video game coverage.

Raoul Moat and his great mate Gazza

There is no doubt that the funniest aspect of the Raoul Moat story is Gazza. He turned up in the middle of the siege with some supplies for Mr Moat and an urge to talk him into putting the gun down. The police wouldn't allow him to talk to the surrounded man but unfortunately were unable to stop him talking to Real Radio.

There is some great material here, truly surreal and funny. Here is the full transcript. Here are some highlights:

PG: Doesn’t matter. He’s killed someone. Which is not nice, really. Obviously he must have been on drugs, errrm, and he’s shot two people right. Now I’ve heard on the news that obviously the drugs must have worn off. Now he’s willing to give in. Right

...

PG: I’m willing to sit down, to shout, “Moaty, it’s Gazza”, all I want to shout is “Moaty it’s Gazza, where are you” and I guarantee he will shout his name out, “I’m here” and me and him could sit and chat, have a little bit of fishing and all I’ll tell him, Moaty. Listen.
...

PG: Listen, I drove from Newcastle in a taxi to Rothbury, cost a lot of money. I brought a dressing gown for him, I brought a big jacket, I brought some chicken, some bread, I know you’re going to love this one, I brought him a can of lager, I brought him a fishing rod cause I heard he’s by the river. And I brought a fishing rod too, we’ll fish together, I’ll have a chat with him…..just talk and, cause I think I’m the only man…I can help him through this cause I’ve…

Surreal, funny and of course tragic. The delusions of a man run low by fame, money and a gigantic thirst. It's so sad. But not as sad as the current re-writing of Moat as anything but a thug and small minded bully. Don't let it happen. It's bullshit. Don't let the scum win.

UPDATE: The News of the World (shit) have some pictures of Gazza at the scene.