Danny killed men ‘in self-defence’

A former soldier facing the death penalty over the killing of two colleagues in Iraq claims he acted in self–defence, it was reported today.

Danny Fitzsimons (29), of Middleton, and a former pupil at Our Lady’s Catholic School, Royton, is accused of shooting dead two ArmorGroup workers in Baghdad’s high–security Green Zone.

Paul McGuigan, of Peebles, Scotland, and Australian Darren Hoare, both 37, were killed in August, 2009.

All three men were ex–forces and worked as private security guards for the firm.

Fitzsimons could be hanged if he is convicted.

The Guardian reported that Fitzsimons admitted to the paper that he killed the men following a drunken fight but insisted he had been acting in self–defence.

He sent text messages to the newspaper claiming he had shot McGuigan three times because the man had allegedly pointed a gun at him.

He said he then killed Hoare in a fight moments later.

Fitzsimons’s family said he was already wanted by police in the UK when he went to Iraq.

They said he had suffered from alcoholism and depression and was a damaged individual who should never have been given a job as an armed security guard in Iraq. His family said he has been diagnosed with post–traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from events he witnessed while serving eight years in the British Army, including tours of duty during the Balkans conflict and in Iraq, serving with the Parachute Regiment.

Fitzsimons is understood to be the first Westerner facing an Iraqi trial on murder charges since an agreement giving foreign workers immunity was lifted.

However, his family is fighting through legal and political channels to get him a prison transfer back to the UK.

They were holding a press conference in London today calling for help to fight the case.

The family of Paul McGuigan dispute there had been a drunken fight between the men, as claimed by Fitzsimons.

McGuigan’s family said post–mortem examination results showed there were no defence or fight injuries to the men.