True Crime With Caledonian Kitty

If you're a reader in the UK you might recognise the face above, those cold, dark eyes are familiar...aren't they? The name that still has the ability to leave a chill down your spine.....Raoul Moat! To those further afield who this name won't ring a bell with, this terrifying man literally had England on tenterhooks back in 2010. It may seem a long time ago now, but nobody has ever forgotten the Raoul Moat case.

His face splashed across every newspaper, his name mentioned in news report after news report. A Facebook page was set up that was dedicated to his every move. People were living in fear, he literally brought England to a stand still. 

So who was he? For those who are not familiar, Raoul (Full name, Raoul Thomas Moat) was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on the 17th of June 1973. He had a difficult childhood which was scarce in affection and love, having never known his biological father and dealing with his mother's severe battle with depression. He and his brother Angus were often left in the care of their grandmother due to their mother's regular hospitalizations. He was a loner at school and would often make up stories as a way to get attention. As he grew older, he developed from a young, sensitive boy, to a bit of a rebel. He took up karate classes and was obsessed with training. Raoul was a hard worker and never turned away from rolling his sleeves up but his temper was very short at times. As with a lot of these cases, there was a lot of red flags even in his late teenage years but nobody could have predicted the volcano that would eventually erupt. 

He found himself a job and decided to get his own place at the age of 24. He had big dreams and was determined to succeed in life. Raoul was a fantasist and would have big grand ideas but wouldn't be able to see the plan through and when things would turn sour, he could become very deeply depressed and very aggressive. 

His addiction to bodybuilding often included steroids and with his background and obvious signs of mental illness, this was a recipe for disaster. As a child he felt powerless, meek and abandoned but the larger he got, the stronger he felt. He started working the doors on Nightclubs and he enjoyed the responsibility, the power and the popularity that the role brought him. He was very well liked amongst the regular nightclubbers and he even became friendly with celebrities. His role as a doorman provided him with the opportunity to meet women who were often spellbound by the strong gentleman who was keeping everyone safe. Raoul was charismatic and loved to have a bit of banter but these were the highlights that he was showing to people who were loosely acquainted with him. He made a lot of friendships and did have a reputation amongst some of them as being a person that was a man of his word, who would go out of his way to help you. 

He had a reputation of being a ladies man and had bragged that he had slept with numerous women. He became involved with a pretty young blond named Samantha Stobbart. At first, the pair were infatuated with each other. Samantha already knew about Raoul's short fuse and possessiveness but she saw this as him trying to protect her. The relationship was very controlling and abusive but Samantha, who was a teenager when she first met Raoul, didn't have any self-esteem or confidence. Samantha and Raoul had a daughter and there was talk of marriage but the relationship was a very toxic one. Raoul had been involved in petty crime for most of his adult life and his view on the local police was not the best. He utterly detested the police and claimed that they would always try to fit him up with something or pull him over when he was driving. He blamed the police for certain things going wrong in his life and it was always a sour point in a conversation with him, the mere mention of the police and he would explode into a rant. 

Raoul was always finding himself in trouble because he was too hot headed. He ended up serving time in prison in 2010 for assault. Samantha, who'd had enough of the violence and control, saw this as an opportunity to escape. She pretended that she would stick by him whilst he was due to go to prison but as soon as the gates shut behind him, she was off. She wrote him a few letters and spoke to him on the phone and basically told him that the relationship was over. Being cooped up in prison with no control over the situation drove Raoul crazy, he was completely enraged, he refused to accept that the relationship was over. He was determined that Samantha belonged to him and that she was never going to leave him. 

Samantha knew that he would be getting out of prison soon and was terrified because she knew what he was like, she knew he would come looking for her. Raoul was in prison, more and more anger building up inside and more anger towards the police. In his mind, Samantha leaving him was not his fault, it was the police again. He believed the police were trying to destroy his life. 

As the weeks went on, it was clear that Raoul was not taking no for an answer, Samantha just wanted to get on with her life. Being young and naive, Samantha was scared as the phone calls from prison kept happening and Raoul's letters would pile up at the door, she knew he wouldn't let go and decided to come up with a plan. 

She had been attending karate classes and had taken a shine to the Karate instructor, Chris Brown. He felt the same way towards her and they started going out for dates together. Samantha was very happy because she felt that she had all of this freedom with Raoul being locked up, she felt that she could enjoy her time with Chris. A full relationship with Samantha and Chris blossomed but amongst the joy, Samantha dreaded the day that Raoul would be released. She felt that the best way to deal with him (where he couldn't physically hurt her) was to, not only say that the relationship was well and truly over, but that she was dating a police man. 

So, Samantha told Raoul that she had been seeing another man named Chris Brown and that he was a police officer. She later said that she told him this because she felt that he would stay away from her. Well, knowing Raoul's complete hatred and paranoia about the police as it was, this was probably not the smartest move on Samantha's part. Not only was she putting herself in danger but Chris too. Poor Chris had only been on the scene for a few weeks and found himself in the middle of all of it. 

Raoul's head was spinning whilst he was in jail, he was literally climbing the walls and vowing for revenge. He put a plan in place to get a gun and upon his release, he was going to go berserk. 

As I mentioned previously, Raoul was known for being a man of his word. If he had something in his mind, he would stop at nothing to carry whatever it was, out. As far as he was concerned (and he clearly stated on his personal Facebook page) he had ''lost everything''. He also warned ''Watch and see what happens''

Without missing a beat, as soon as he walked out the gates of Durham prison on the 1st of July 2010, he started putting his plan in to action. He was spotted on CCTV cameras buying camping equipment and supplies. He'd literally just left prison and within days, he had tracked Samantha and Chris down. Chris, who was shot and killed instantly by Raoul Moat, was just 29 years old. Raoul tried to shoot Samantha through the window of the house, he did manage to hit her but she fortunately was able to get medical help and survived. Raoul, thinking he'd killed them both, fled the scene and so began a nerve-wracking manhunt for a psychotic, steroid and woman abuser who was capable of anything. The police had to work hard to get this man off the streets as soon as possible because he was a serious danger to everyone. 

The situation was already horrific but Raoul Moat made it clear that he wasn't done carrying out what he saw was revenge for all of the injustices he claimed to have endured at the hands of other people, especially the police. The truth was, Raoul had nobody to blame but himself. There's sympathy for his childhood and the struggles he went through but the dealings with drugs, violence, domestic abuse...so on and so forth was all on him. There was no excuse, Samantha was a vulnerable young girl when he met her and instead of protecting her he abused her. 

He began a sort of cat and mouse game with the police and the media, he called the police and made several threats. At first many people assumed that he was bluffing despite already shooting Chris and Samantha, they thought it was a domestic situation. That was until he walked up to the patrol car of PC David Rathband (the pair were unknown to each other but Raoul had warned that he was 'hunting the police') and shot him twice, once in the face, blinding him instantly and the second shot was to ensure that David was dead. By some miracle, David was still alive and even in that horrific moment he displayed such bravery. David later said that he had to 'play dead' because he feared that if Raoul saw him moving, he would fire another shot. In the horrendous moment, PC David Rathband's life would change forever, he was just 42 when he was left permanently blinded by Raoul Moat, the last thing he saw was that evil face and it haunted the poor man. 

PC David Rathband was looked upon by the public as a hero, a brave survivor and the support from well-wishers meant so much to David and his family. He did his best to adjust to his new way of living and declared that he was determined to move on but the image of Raoul Moat and those horrifying moments where 'everything just went black', continued to haunt him. David Rathband took his own life at the age of just 44, just 19 months after that horrendous day. 

So, after he had cruelly attacked PC David Rathband, he went on the run and the police, media and public were on edge, terrified of where he would turn up next. I remember keeping my eye on the news and all the reports and it was quite scary. I'd gotten so hooked on the case, along with everyone I knew, that I was scared he was going to show up in my back garden. It sounds like madness but everyone was worried and just wanted this madman found and arrested. 

On the evening of the 9th of July 2010, he was seen by a member of the public in the beautiful, English town of Rothbury. The local community were terrified and told to lock all of their doors and windows, nobody was to leave their homes. Everyone was on lockdown. It turned out that Raoul knew the area well because he had previously spent some time camping there. The town was just a peaceful, tranquil place that wasn't used to all of this commotion with police cars, vans and media all over the place. 

Whether it be exhaustion, hunger or a moment of clarity, Raoul Moat gave up, laid down on the ground and held a sawn-off shotgun to his neck. He was surrounded by armed police and there was no getting away with it this time. The British public were gripped as a six-hour stand off took place. There was a live chat on Facebook with constant pictures of the scene. The news channels were reporting live whilst trying to keep certain angles from public view because they were concerned that Raoul Moat may pull the trigger and shoot himself or other people and they didn't want that live on air. 

In the middle of all of this, a well-known English footballer, Paul Gascoigne showed up out of the blue and announced that he knew Raoul and wanted the opportunity to talk to him. Paul brought with him a fishing rod, some beer and other items. It was a bit like the Twilight Zone, there was this horrendous situation going on where anyone could be killed in a split second and Paul showed up with a fishing rod and cans of beer. People still talk about that to this day and it's a popular meme. In a moment of crisis people expect Paul Gascoigne to show up with a fishing rod and cans of beer. It was just more madness to add to a horrible and very confusing situation. 

On a side note, Paul claimed that he had known Raoul from his days as a doorman and felt that he would be able to talk some sense into him. Understandably, the police wouldn't allow Paul to approach Raoul, so he took the cans of beer and the fishing rod and left. 

As the hours went on and darkness fell, it was more and more sinister. I remember being up late, watching the livestream and wondering how this was all going to end. I think we all just wanted him to give it up and just go to prison. Surprisingly, there was a lot of support from the public for Raoul Moat because they felt that he had been victimized by the police and that he was a man who was done wrong. The full details of what happened with PC David Rathband was not fully known at that time. 

Just after 1am on the 10th of July 2010, to their credit, the armed police never gave up but Raoul Moat couldn't do it any longer. Despite hours of negotiations, Raoul decided that the rest of his life in prison, was not for him. He made the motion to pull the trigger and the police fired a taser in an attempt to stop him. It was too late, he pulled the trigger and that was that! The manhunt, the nightmare....was over! After an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Raoul Moat, his death was officially ruled a suicide. 

Samantha Stobbart spent some time in hospital recovering, she gave an interview to the News of The World newspaper for which she received a significant amount of money which was not disclosed to the public. Samantha and her family had hired Max Clifford (I might write a post about him in the future) and he secured the deal and financial amount with the newspaper. This was criticised by some members of the public, the fact that Samantha had accepted money over what was a horrifying situation. She also received a lot of backlash for her role in telling Raoul the lie that Chris was a police man, they thought that Chris was put in danger because of that and he ended up losing his life. 

Whilst Raoul Moat was on the run, he had various associates who helped him with vehicles, guns and supplies. These men were later arrested and are still serving time in prison. 

Raoul Moat was cremated and a small gathering of his family and friends scattered his ashes not too far from where he took his own life. 

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this case is pretty well-known in the UK and it is often quoted as one of the biggest manhunts in British history. 

It happened all those years ago but writing about it now has left me feeling the chills. That's how it felt at the time, watching the news, not knowing what was going to happen next. It's a shame that Raoul Moat was not given the proper professional help back where he was younger with all that had been going on with his mother. I do believe though, that there's only so many excuses for one's behaviour. He left home at 24 it was up to him to make good with his life, he decided to go down a bad path and abused and nearly killed the one person who loved him, Samantha. 

The evil attack on PC David Rathband will be forever haunting. The pain and suffering that man endured, a totally innocent man just sitting at the side of the road, unarmed in his patrol car, just doing his job. To have something so horrifying happen, to lose you sight or have it wiped out in a second is utterly terrifying to think about. He was a very brave man and when I think of him, I remember seeing the interview that he did and he was choked up with tears, he was in constant torture, it was terrible. I hope that he is in peace now and knows that none of us have forgotten what happened to him. RIP PC David Rathband.

Further Reading & Sources:

- Raoul Moat: Article | The Guardian

- Raoul Moat: Article | BBC News

- Raoul Moat | Wikipedia

- The Hunt For Raoul Moat | Apple TV

- Raoul Moat: Article | The Independent

- Rothbury | Wikipedia

If you have made it this far in the post, I salute you and thank you! I hope that you come away from this post, knowing a bit more about this case or if you are 

new to it, that it was easy to follow. I know the details were very uncomfortable and disturbing, I appreciate you taking the time to read it. I hope you will join me on my Socials

Stay safe, until next time x

*Please be aware that the details shared in this post will be disturbing. I have aimed to, as always, share the details as sensitive as I can without taking the facts away from the case. If you would like to discuss this post with me or any of the cases that I have covered in this blog, please email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com*

At the beginning of 2013, 17 year old Tara Rose Willenborg from Clarksville, Indiana (USA) was busy thinking about life, exploring dreams, being a typical teenager and enjoying her close relationship with her boyfriend of six months, Josh. Josh was 21 but adored her and did his best to support her as they decided to move in together. The young couple were having fun, taking on adult responsibilities and thinking about their future. There was so many experiences to share, so many moments to be had and so many places they wanted to see together. Everyone who knew them personally would always describe them as a young loved-up couple, they would refer to themselves as 'Fiance/Fiancee' and had plans to get married. Josh was saving up some of the money he earned from his job to buy Tara a ring. They were just a young, sweet, good looking couple who were working hard to make ends meet and thinking about what they wanted to do with their lives together. 

Because money was tight and they had only just moved in together at the Cambridge Square Apartments, their living situation was quite modest. Some of the neighbours looked a bit on the dodgy side and some of the apartments had seen better days. For Tara and Josh they made the best with what they had and for them it was really just a stepping stone to save money and eventually move on to somewhere better. Tara came from a loving family, along with her brothers Todd, Derek and sister Colleen, the four of them could have been models if they had chosen that path, they also had their own talents. The family shared a great sense of humour and would always be teasing each other, they also had a dedication to their Christian faith. 

As well as her fun and bubbly personality, Tara was well known for her cupcakes, she just loved to bake and delighted in the endless compliments that she would receive from friends and family about how great they were. People would tell her that she would make a fortune if she turned her baking skills into a business, she was interested in making this a reality and was looking at ways to go about it. So Tara had the world at her feet and there was lots of things that she had planned and wanted to carry on planning, but it wasn't to be because someone she thought was a harmless neighbour, turned out to be a hideous monster hidden in sheep's clothing.

Young Tara and Josh had no idea who their neighbours really were, they were just people they would exchange pleasantries with. Unbeknown to the pair, the often dishevelled looking guy who was their neighbour, the guy called 'Richard' was actually a convicted sex offender who had spend the majority of his life behind bars for a series of horrific sexual assaults on women. Richard Hooten was 49 years old and his path of crime began in his early 20's, this is when he later said that his first sexual assault occurred. So this lovely young couple had a ticking time-bomb living near them and nobody knew. Richard looked creepy but he had a girlfriend so that could've possibly softened his image up a bit but that was all a facade, he was just waiting for the next victim. 

Richard had noticed Tara and Josh but didn't have long, full-on conversations with them. There was a quick exchange of words when Richard had bought some alcohol from Josh but that was about it. Josh could sense that Richard found Tara attractive but he was used to that, Tara was a beautiful girl and people were going to take a shine to her so he didn't think that deeply about it. 

On the 2nd of March (2013), Josh had gone to do his night shift as usual, leaving Tara at home just to relax. It was just days before her 18th birthday and that was going to be a huge milestone for her. Richard Hooten and his girlfriend, who Tara was used to seeing come and go, were out for the evening. Richard had a few drinks but was ready to go back home, his girlfriend and her family decided they were going to stay out for a little bit longer. When Richard approached his apartment he spotted Tara sitting alone on a stoop just outside her apartment. He watched her for a little while and could see that nobody else was around, he knew Josh worked night shifts. He would later reveal the disturbing and chilling fact that he knew he was going to sexually assault Tara when he saw her sitting there that night. 

He walked over to Tara and they exchanged polite conversation, he probably seemed harmless, a bit pathetic, probably mentioned that he was waiting for his girlfriend to come home. One wonders if Tara being young and looking at this guy as a bit creepy but possibly more like a Dad type of figure. She maybe thought about the fact that he had a girlfriend, maybe gave off the impression that he couldn't be that bad or dangerous if a woman had chosen to live with him? Tara also knew his girlfriend would be returning home at any time so maybe thought that no harm could come to her. It's reminded me of the false sense of security that some victims in the past have felt when they've met someone (who unknown to them at the time was a dangerous and psychotic killer) who has shown them family pictures or wears a wedding ring in an attempt to appear harmless and to gain trust. 

I've made the mistake myself in the past and I cringe at the memory, but an old man had fallen outside of my apartment block (this happened years ago). He'd just gotten out of a cab and was holding a translucent bag with all of his belongings in, money, clothes etc and he had fallen, there was blood on his face and he looked like he was in shock. Myself being young at the time and my boyfriend being at a university class, I decided to invite this guy into the kitchen for a cup of tea and to call him another cab. It sounds ridiculous now but my first instinct was to help this man. He had so much cash falling out of his pockets and I had to help him put everything into his bag. I remember thinking at the time that this guy was so lucky that he fell outside of my apartment and not some other place because someone could've possibly robbed him. Anyway, I made him some sweet tea for the shock and I kept the kitchen door open whilst we talked and I called him a cab to take him to his correct address. The guy got into the cab safely and that was it. When I told my boyfriend, friends and relatives about what happened, everyone looked at me horrified and told me I was nuts. My boyfriend at the time was frantic that something bad could've happened to me. I look back now and it is a cringeworthy moment but we all make mistakes. 

So Tara and Richard were talking and either she invited him into her apartment or he asked to join her. Either way, he was pretending to be nice and once inside the apartment, Tara put on the TV whilst they continued to chat. When the pair were on the sofa Richard suddenly turned from Mr nice guy to disgusting predator. Tara made it clear that she wasn't interested and asked him to leave, from that moment on, things turned very ugly. Richard grabbed Tara and dragged her to the bedroom where he ripped off her clothing and assaulted her in the worst ways that you do not want to imagine. Obviously I know the horrific details but out of respect for Tara and her family I have to be careful how I describe what happened. It was brutal, it was sick and it was pure evil! The absolute hell he put that poor child through, 17 is no age and it wouldn't be acceptable at any age. He was a disgusting, evil monster and during the horrific torture and assault, he strangled Tara. The details of her death haunt me, as I'm sure they have done with anyone who has worked on this case or researched it. It just fills you will anger and disgust. To add further depravity this creature took a candle and assaulted Tara with it after he strangled her. 

Richard Hooten claims that he tried to revive Tara when he'd realised that she was deceased. He then tried to cover his tracks by grabbing one of her Subway aprons and tying it around her neck to make it look like she had taken her own life. He then fled the scene and went back to his apartment, where his girlfriend now was. This monster knew that Josh would return from work to find Tara and he was already putting an act on like everything was normal. Josh was horrified and devastated when he found Tara, he tried everything he could for her and contacted authorities. He told them that he had a feeling that Richard had something to do with her death. Other neighbours had mentioned their concerns about Richard who had mysteriously vanished from his apartment. The police went looking for him and they finally found him a mile away from the apartments and arrested him on the spot. They knew he had a long list of previous crimes and outstanding warrants. He had also failed to register as a sex offender. 

With the evidence stacked up against him and his previous convictions Richard admitted what he had done because he claimed that he wanted to give Tara's family closure. In front of reporters he gave a sort of press conference where he unemotionally stated what he had done, answered their questions and admitted that he had been involved in numerous sexual assaults in the past for which he spent time in prison. He'd spent most of his life in prison and claimed that he had been committing sexual deviancy for as far back as he could remember. There were no tears shed and no remorse, he stated that he wished that he hadn't have murdered Tara but there was no actual feeling to it, it was like the guy had no soul. He was asked numerous times if he had committed murder before and he said that he hadn't. He admitted to sexual assaults and violence but that Tara was the first time he had actually murdered a victim. 

When asked about his thoughts on the death penalty he accepted it and agreed to any form of punishment that was going to be handed out. As he admitted his guilt in Tara's horrific assault and murder, he spared her family the ordeal of a trial and as part of a deal he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 70 years was also added on to his sentence. He is currently 62 years old (as of 2026) and is incarcerated at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle, Indiana. 

Tara's funeral took place on the 6th of March 2013 just a few days shy of what would have been her 18th birthday. It's so difficult to imagine what Josh and her family must have been going through. It was just so unfair for such a horrific thing to have happened to a beautiful young girl who had her whole life and dreams in front of her. 

Tara's family have done such an incredible job over the years to raise money for charities and have been dedicated to keeping Tara's memory alive. Sadly Tara's brother Todd Jr passed away in May of 2022 at the age of 29. Colleen and Derek have done a wonderful job over the years keeping the spirit of both their beloved sister and brother alive, it must be so difficult to have both your sister and brother gone. They are so strong and very much an inspiration. 

Please check out Tara's Garden which is a charity which was set up by Tara's loved ones to honour her legacy: Tara's Garden

RIP Tara and Todd, you will never be forgotten x

Further Reading & Sources

- Richard Hooten: Article | Wave News

- Tara Rose Willenborg | Obituary

- Richard Hooten: Article | The Courier

- Tara Rose Willenborg | Find A Grave

- Richard Hooten: Article | USA Today

- Richard Hooten: Article | NY Daily News

- Richard Hooten: Confession Press Conference | News And Tribune (Video)

- Richard Hooten: News Report (Video) | WLKY News Louisville

I know this was another difficult case to get through but I appreciate you, as always, for being here and for all your support over the years with my content. Don't forget you can request any cases you would like me to cover (jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com) and come and say hello on my Socials

Take care....until next time x 

(Thomas 'TC' Campbell & Joe Steele. Picture credit: Glasgow World)

*Please be aware that some of the details in this post will be disturbing. I have, as always, aimed to be as sensitive as I can be without taking away from the facts of the case. If you would like to discuss this post, or any of the cases I have covered in this blog, please email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com* 

In my last couple of posts, I wrote about the horrific and brutal murder of schoolgirl Jodi Jones back in 2003, and the shocking way in which the police had botched the investigation. I talked about the blatant cover-ups involved in the case and the mistreatment and media bullying of Jodi's 14 year old boyfriend Luke, who ended up being thrown in prison, accused of her murder despite lack of DNA evidence. The blame was fully placed on Luke despite five other DNA specimen samples belonging to other people being collected from the crime scene as well as evidence being destroyed. I also talked about the fact that Luke has been fighting for his freedom for over 20 years and refuses to accept deals, he has remained adamant that he will only walk out of prison when his innocence is proven. I covered the case and Luke's fight for justice in two parts, just in case you haven't had the chance to read the posts, you can find them here: Part One & here: Part Two

When I was sharing Luke's story I mentioned very briefly Joe Steele and Thomas 'TC' Campbell. These two men were victims of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice that the UK has ever seen. They had spent 18 years imprisoned for a heinous crime that they didn't commit and spent 20 years fighting to clear their names. Just like Luke, they had been dragged through the mud by the police and the press but luckily for them, they had a huge support network but it still wasn't easy. The unbelievable story of what Joe Steele and Thomas 'TC' Campbell went through was actually first brought to my attention by my favourite author (who also inspired me to write about true crime), the late and legendary Reg McKay. Reg had written about Joe and TC numerous times as well as collaborating on books with TC. Reg also wrote about them regularly in his newspaper column as a way to keep the story out there and further gather support for their campaign. 

So in this post I will be focusing on the false imprisonment of Joe and TC as well as the horrifying crime in which they were accused. Without further ado, let's get into it...

As you might know, Glasgow holds a very special place in my heart and always will. It's a place I grew up, enjoyed so many amazing experiences, created so many memories and it's the place where my grandparents were born, where they met, fell in love and got married. It's where my mother was born and where they raised their children before my grandfather passed away at just 42. My grandmother worked in all of the great hospitals and my grandfather worked in the shipyards. I feel like I know the city like the back of my hand, I know where to go and where best to avoid. If you're ever needing some travel tips on where to go, museums, sightseeing, restaurants etc....I'm your gal!

What I also love about Glasgow (or as we call it 'Glesga') is that it's both modern but old school at the same time. There are still some old school cafes where you can pop in, have a cup of Scottish blend tea with a Tunnock's caramel wafer and just listen to the typical Glasgow banter from the city folk (''Are ye ok hen?, och it's rainin doon in buckets oot there''). Then there's the extraordinary beauty and wonder of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where you can get lost for hours and enjoy a cup of cappuccino, soaking in all the history, stunning architecture and fascinating exhibitions. It's a city that has something for everyone but like all cities, it has it good parts and it's not-so good parts and that includes it's history. As a city, Glasgow has a lot to be proud of, an incredible past of shipbuilding, art, architecture, medical breakthroughs and it was known as the Second City of the British Empire. There's just so much history of this incredible place and it's people. Boston had a taste of Glaswegian sense of humour when the Scots flew over to the States for the World Cup recently and of course everyone got on so well that friendships for life were created. But there is also a dark history of Glasgow, one that is steeped in knife crime and hard times, especially back in the day and this post takes us back to 1984.

On the 16th of April 1984, the city of Glasgow and surrounding areas woke up to the horrifying news that a family home had been set on fire in the early hours of the morning. Nine people were in the property, members of the Doyle family plus their close friends. Only three people were able to get out alive, six members of the Doyle family sadly died. James Doyle (who was 53 years old), His son, James (who was 23), His 14 year old son, Anthony, his daughter Christina (who was just 25) and her 18 month old baby, Mark. James's 18 year old son Andrew also died and he was reportedly the main target. This evil and devastating murder of innocent people was reportedly down to Andrew's refusal to be part of a drugs racket. At the time, ice cream vans in Glasgow didn't only sell ice cream and treats, they were like little convenience stores on wheels. You could buy bread, milk, toilet rolls, cigarettes and toothpaste, even the newspapers! These vans were a godsend for elderly people and those who didn't have a car but as convenient as they were, some of them were a front for selling drugs. The Doyle family were not involved in anything like that and despite the intimidation and threats, Andrew stood his ground and refused to give up his route or the trust and safety of his local, regular customers. 

(The Doyle family funeral. Picture credit: Pinterest)

Glasgow was notorious for gangland crime and everyone knew about different parts of the city where drug crime was rife. The likes of Tam McGraw who was a ruthless gangster ruled the streets and would often target local businesses with his little henchmen. The ice cream vans were a definite money-maker and McGraw was all about making money. Part of his routine was to threaten, bully and intimidate the owner of a business by offering to provide what he called 'security' services in exchange for a cut of the takings, if the owner refused it could prove to be deadly, as is in the case with the Doyle family. Tam was careful and also very much a coward so he would have others carry out his crimes and threats of intimidation. 

The murders of the Doyle family shook the whole of Glasgow and people were terrified it was going to happen again. Who would set fire to someone's house in the early hours of the morning whilst people were asleep in their beds? Who would target a family home where there were children? especially a little baby? The Doyle home was a top floor flat so the person or persons who deliberately started the fire know that it would be extremely difficult for anyone inside to escape. 

There was huge amounts of pressure on the police to find out who carried this evil crime out. In the weeks that followed, the heartbreaking funeral (which was a shared service for all six members of the deceased) took place. People were sobbing their hearts out for all the victims and they could barely hold on at the sight of Christine and Mark's coffin. The devoted young mother and her little boy shared the same coffin. After the funeral the tears and grief began to turn to rage and anger, the public demanded justice to be done and who could blame them?

Several arrests were made and eventually the police narrowed to two men that they were adamant were guilty of the Doyle murders, TC Campbell (31) and 22 year old Joe Steele. TC had been involved in petty crime and was caught up in the ice cream wars but wasn't involved in the Doyle murders, Joe had a background of petty crime and was an associate of TC but wasn't a part of the ice cream van disputes.

The so-called evidence against the pair of them was ridiculous, both of the men were no angels but murderers? The police were desperate to pin the murders on someone and close the case. All of a sudden a map of Glasgow appeared amongst TC's belongings which had the area where the Doyle family lived, circled. The police also claimed that they overheard TC saying that he meant to just frighten Andrew Doyle and that he wasn't the one who lit the match. An unrelated man who's son was facing a sentence for robbery and about to go down for a long time bargained with the police that he would give them some information about the Doyle family murders in exchange for them dropping the charges on his son. The cops agreed and the old man told them that he overheard TC Campbell and Joe Steele talking about the Doyle family murders in a bar, telling people that they did it. So TC and Joe were fitted up for the murders based on really weak evidence which was basically a planted map and rumours or made-up accusations. 

Any other possible suspects were never looked in to. The pair were to stand trial and a jury of 15 people were to decide whether they thought the two men were guilty or not. Surprisingly every one of those 15 people decided that they were guilty of the Doyle family murders and they were sentenced to life imprisonment. TC was given an additional 10 year sentence because he was accused of previously threatening Andrew Doyle with a shotgun in the days leading up to the murders. In shock and disbelief they declared their innocence but nobody would listen, they were seen as cold-bloodied murderers, baby killers, scum of the earth and the rest of the Doyle family, friends, neighbours and general public just wanted to see the back of them, some people wanted to see them hang. The were hated deeply by so many because a lot of the public at that time believed in the law and what was printed in the newspapers. 

In 1985, TC and Joe had tried to appeal their sentences but this was rejected. In a surprise turn of events, the man who claimed to have overheard them in a bar confessing to the Doyle murders, all of a sudden admitted that he lied under oath. Word got back to TC and Joe and they saw this as the green light to appeal again. Whilst the new evidence had came to life they were released pending the second appeal which they were confident would go through because the police have nothing on them. It was decided that the admission that the so-called witness had lied was still not enough to declare the men innocent so they were called back to prison to continue their sentences. 

Both TC and Joe were determined not to give up and Joe decided to put some drastic plans into action in an attempt to get public attention. On a supervised visit to his mother's house who was said to have been in ill health at the time, Joe decided to pull some mad stunts for publicity. He stood on his mother's rooftop with a banner and then managed to get down to London where he (wearing a t-shirt with a painting of Christ of St John The Cross by Salvidor Dali - You can view this beautiful painting at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum by the way) superglued himself to the gates of Buckingham palace. In a later attempt at gaining publicity he managed to escape again and climbed a lighting tower. Each time he escaped and carried out these stunts he would hand himself back into authorities afterwards to continue his sentence. He was doing whatever he could to get all eyes on their case. TC's approach to protesting his innocence was growing his hair out and going on hunger strike which did get very serious at times. Family and friends who knew the pair well had always stood by them but by now, more and more members of the public were starting to support them. 

(Joe Steele at the Buckingham Palace Gates. Picture credit: Daily Record)

The more members of the public looked into their story, the more demands were made for their release but authorities were doing their best to keep them inside. The police knew what they had done and it would be a huge scandal for all involved if the truth got out, but they had no choice. The truth won out in the end. In 2004, TC and Joe's case was at the court of appeal where the judges had declared their convictions unjust and that a major miscarriage of justice had occurred. Thomas 'TC' Campbell and Joe Steele were officially declared innocent and free to go! 

It was a bittersweet victory when the two men were finally set free. TC was 51 years old and Joe was 42, they'd lost a lot of years away from their loved ones. Another sad fact about this story is that the men deeply disliked each other. Joe later spoke about their release and the publicity photos where the pair are seen cheering and celebrating....apparently that was all for show. They were happy at being released finally but there was no love lost between them. The two men had their reasons for not seeing eye to eye but Joe did say in an interview that he felt resentment because he was just 22 years old and was loosely acquainted with TC. He felt that TC's negative involvement with the Ice Cream Wars in the past had played a part in why they were both found guilty. There was also disagreements with the protests, publicity and with working on appeals and breaking a reported pact that they'd agreed on. They had previously agreed not to accept easier conditions but TC agreed to have a transfer to a special unit and this upset Joe. I found it particularly sad that they were not close as you would expect with such a traumatic experience to have happened to them both. 

After their ordeal they found it difficult to adjust to life outside of prison. Joe tried his best to get on with life and be with his family, TC tried the same, it wasn't easy for either of them and they did battle with substances and alcohol in an attempt to cope with the post traumatic stress disorder. Joe had the support of his family and friends around him. TC led a quiet life and was reportedly living alone when he sadly passed away in June 2019 in his sleep, he was just 66 years old. Joe said that he hated TC and was never friends with him which is quite a strong stance on things. He did say that they spoke a short time before TC passed away and had managed to iron out a lot of their differences. 

In regards to compensation for everything they had been through, I can imagine that this helped further the divide between them. TC was given around £1.2 million - £2 million because the loss of earnings from his ice cream business had been taken into account. Joe was given £750,000 because he was unemployed at the time. Apparently your status of employment determines how much compensation you are rewarded. I think both of them should have been given the same, both of them were falsely accused, vilified and lost many years of their lives. 

There's many interviews that Joe has done because he has always been determined to get the truth out there. I've included interviews featuring Joe and TC below. 

As for the horrifying murders of the Doyle family, it's heartbreaking that the police are refusing to reopen the case. It remains unsolved to this day. All fingers are pointing at Tam McGraw but he passed away in 2007 at the age of 55. He was said to have led his later life in fear, constantly paranoid. He had so many enemies and was so disliked that there was hitmen willing to kill him for free. With McGraw gone and a lot of his associates deceased, will this case ever be solved? To this day, rumours remain and despite the lack of evidence there are people out there who do actually think that TC and Joe were guilty. There's some who think that TC was guilty all along and that Joe was innocent, some believe that TC was involved especially with him having the ice cream van himself. They thought that was part of the reason that Joe disliked TC. It's all thoughts and speculation, nobody knows the real answers here. I just wish that there were answers and proper closure for the Doyle family. 

Reg McKay is no longer with us and it breaks my heart because he was an incredibly fearless writer. I will always be flying the flag for his incredible work. I've read every book he's ever written and it saddens me that there is no more but for those who are not familiar with his books, I will always recommend them. I will include them in my list of further reading below.

So what are your thoughts on this story? I would love to hear them, please share your comments below or email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com

RIP to the Doyle family, TC, Reg... you will never be forgotten.

Further Reading & Sources:

- The Wilderness Years: Book by Reg McKay & TC Campbell

- Indictment: Book by Reg McKay & TC Campbell

- Remembering TC Campbell | Miscarriages Of Justice

- TC Campbell: Article | Daily Record

- Tam McGraw: Book by Reg Mckay

- Ice Cream Wars | Wikipedia

- Joe Steele: Interview | Anything Goes With James English

- Joe Steele: Interview | The Jim King Show

- TC Campbell: Interview | Anything Goes With James English

- TC Campbell: Article | BBC News

- Joe Steele: Interview | Shaun Attwood Podcast

- The Ice Cream Wars | BBC One

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Take care and stay safe...until next time x

(Luke Mitchell. Picture credit: The Sun)