PC Darren Rathband, the twin brother of PC David Rathband, had flown from Australia where he lives to attend the memorial service of his brother who was found hanged at his home in Northumbria, England on February 29th 2012.

PC David Rathband clocked on for duty at the police station in Newcastle where he worked at 4pm on 3rd July 2010. He never officially finished his shift though because just after midnight on 4th July his car was approached by Raoul Moat who shot him in the face with a sawn off shot gun. On Saturday 10th March 2012 his twin brother Darren escorted his body to St Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle for a memorial service, the hearse with David's body inside and displaying an orange floral tribute reading "Tango 190", which was PC David Rathband's police call sign, stopped outside his police station on route so that his twin brother could walk inside and finally clock him off from his shift some 20 months later, something that David had wanted so much to do for himself.

PC Rathband's body arrived at the cathedral where it was met by 30 fellow officers forming a guard of honour and his children, Ash 19 and Mia 13 were waiting at the door. Looking so much like his brother, Darren walked into the cathedral, behind the coffin which was draped in the Union Jack and carried by members of the emergency services, clutching the hands of his nephew and niece. He was also accompanied by his parents and sister. After the coffin was set in place in the cathedral Darren gently touched the coffin and wept.

The service was an emotional one with David's friend Tony Horne, who was his ghost writer for Tango 190 - his personal account of the Raoul Moat murders, calling for the Government to introduce Rathband's Law to ensure that all 999 heros injured in the line of duty are given the financial and emotional support that they need. Also present at the memorial was Northumbria's Chief Constable Sue Sim who had encouraged PC David Rathband to sue her personally, as his boss, to get the compensation he needed to build his new life.

Darren Rathband gave his own eulogy to the packed congregation and said "David was my hero - not because he was shot, but because of how he got up. When he died, I lost half of me." He finished his speech, his voice choked with emotion saying "It's time to take my brother home." He then drove the hearse himself, accompanied by a convoy of 3 police cars the 200 miles to their home town of Salford where the funeral of PC Rathband will take place on Saturday 17th March 2012.