Ex-paratrooper was facing UK jail term

Danny Fitzsimons

A former British soldier accused of murdering two colleagues in Iraq was facing a possible jail term in Britain and has a conviction for firearms offences, it emerged today.

Ex–paratrooper Danny Fitzsimons (29), who lives in Middleton, is accused of shooting dead two fellow private security guards in Baghdad on Sunday.

He faces a possible death penalty in Iraq for the alleged double murder.

Today it emerged Fitzsimons, said to have been tormented after serving eight years in the forces, had pulled a gun on children while at his home.

Neighbours said Fitzsimons turned on teenagers causing trouble outside the run–down ground–floor council flat where the former soldier lived while on leave from his security job in Iraq.

He pulled a flare gun and fired it into the air to scare the children off.

Fitzsimons was convicted of a public order offence over the incident, on 1 April this year, and had yet to be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court.

And he was given a suspended sentence in November last year for firearms offences after being found in possession of prohibited ammunition.

Fitzsimons, who worked for private security firm ArmorGroup Iraq, is now in jail in Baghdad and could be the first foreigner publicly executed in the country.

Fitzsimons has reportedly told police in Iraq he was drunk when he got into a fight and pulled his gun in self–defence, leaving Scotsman Paul McGuigan and Australian Darren Hoare dead.

He was arrested shortly after the incident in Baghdad’s International Zone on Sunday morning.

Fitzsimons was raised in New Moston but lives in Rochdale. He served both in Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the Army five years ago. His family said he had been treated for post traumatic stress after leaving.

His father, Eric Fitzsimons, a PE teacher, played for Oldham Rugby League Club between 1979 to 1981 and later coached the team.

He also coached St Anne’s Amateur Rugby Club, and lives with Daniel’s stepmother Liz in Whitworth.

He said his son should be tried in the UK and he was suffering from psychiatric stress following his experiences in Iraq.

His mother Beverley lives in Blackley.

The family described the situation as every parents worst nightmare and were heartbroken for the families of the two men who died.

They said they had been unable to speak to Daniel directly and were looking for funding to ensure he received a fair trial.