Accused double killer is sacked by his firm

A former British soldier accused of murdering two workmates in Iraq, has been dismissed by the security firm he worked for.

Ex–paratrooper Danny Fitzsimons, 29, who lives in Middleton, is accused of shooting dead two fellow private security guards in Baghdad last month.

He has been in custody since August and faces a possible death penalty in Iraq for the alleged double murder.

His former employer ArmourGroup said in a statement that Mr Fitzsimons had been dismissed for gross misconduct.

Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin, who has raised the case with Foreign Office minister Ivan Lewis, slammed the ArmourGroup for abandoning its responsibilities to their employee.

Speaking to a national newspaper, he said: “You must question their employment practices and for them to be walking away at a crucial time like this is absolutely irresponsible.”

Another man, thought to have been with him on the night, was also sacked, and the company said three other members of staff responsible for screening new recruits had resigned.

Mr Fitzsimons was said to have been tormented after serving eight years in the forces in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

He had pulled a flare gun on children to scare them off while at his ground-floor flat in Middleton and was convicted of a public order offence over the incident on 1 April this year.

He had yet to be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court.

Mr Fitzsimons was also given a suspended sentence in November last year after being found in possession of prohibited ammunition.

Daniel’s stepmother Liz, who lives in Whitworth, said the dismissal had come as a shock to the family and she was worried about Daniel being “hung out to dry”.