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The karate instructor murdered by maniac gunman Raoul Moat had deliberately stepped in front of the killer and protected his new partner, she tearfully told an inquest today.

Chris Brown, 29, was gunned down in cold blood two days after the spurned lover was released from jail in July 2010, after starting a relationship with Moat's ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart.

Ms Stobbart was also badly injured by shotgun pellets, but survived.

At an inquest at Newcastle Crown Court into Mr Brown's death, she told coroner Terence Carney how her boyfriend had protected her after Moat appeared outside the neighbour's house where they were socialising in Birtley, Gateshead.

(Image: Northumbria Police)

Weeping, she replied "yes", when the coroner asked if her new lover deliberately stepped between her and the 37-year-old ex-bouncer.

She said: "He was just there. He shot Chris. It was so quick, he was just there all of a sudden, he just appeared within seconds."

Mr Brown was aware Moat had turned up, as she shouted "There's Raoul" when she spotted him, the inquest heard.

After twice shooting Mr Brown, who was from Slough, Moat shot his ex through the window. She had dashed back inside and was looking on in horror at Mr Brown who was on his knees.

Miss Stobbart told the inquest she feared the two men would have a fight, or "straightener", if they ever met and she tried to avoid that happening.

After murdering Mr Brown and injuring his ex-lover, Moat went on the run.

The next night he shot and blinded PC David Rathband, who was unarmed and sitting in his marked police car.

A week later, following a massive manhunt, Moat was cornered in Rothbury, Northumberland, where he shot himself.

The inquest has previously heard how an inmate at Durham Prison told an officer Moat would kill someone when he was released.

(Image: Getty)

The inquest also heard that Ms Stobbart exchanged texts about him being 'tooled up' just minutes before struck.

Ms Stobbart was asked by pal Mr Wilkinson: "Is he still driving around Sam? Does he have his tool do you know?" in a message at 25 minutes past midnight on July 3, 2010.

She replied: "Come home now. Don't know, maybe Nessie (Karl Ness, Moat's friend) had it buried."

Just two hours later, Moat shot and seriously wounded Ms Stobbart and executed Mr Brown, 29, outside Mr Wilkinson's home.

The inquest heard she was aware Moat had guns in the past, making reference to one of them being 'buried in the countryside' during a previous dispute.

John Beggs, counsel for Northumbria Police, said to her: "Here you are saying to Mr Wilkinson, first of all, come back home, and that you don't know if Raoul Moat has his tool as it may have been buried? The reference to a tool was to a gun?"

Ms Stobbart replied: "Yes, but I did not know that then. He had knives and he used to hide them."

Mr Beggs added: "It would be more likely that he would bury a gun."

Ms Stobbart replied: "Now, I see that, but then, no."

Moat sent two texts to Ness - jailed for life for helping him in the murder of Mr Brown - as he secretly sat by the front window of Wilkinson's home, listening to Mr Brown and Ms Stobbart chatting inside.

In one, Moat told him Ms Stobbart was inside the property and 'slagging him off good and proper, ha, ha, just watch what you say'.

The inquest in Newcastle has heard karate instructor Chris was Moat's 'forgotten' victim.

His family want answers about any blunders which may have contributed to his death - three years after the bloody slaying.

Intelligence was passed from Durham jail to Northumbria Police about Moat making threats to an ex-partner when he was freed from Durham prison just two days before Chris' murder.

But it did not specify Ms Stobbart as a target.

The inquest continues.