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Ex-soldier's parents plea for help
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The parents of a former soldier facing the death penalty in Iraq over the killing of two colleagues pleaded with the British Government to help save his life.
Danny Fitzsimons, 29, of Middleton, Greater Manchester, is alleged to have shot two fellow private security guards dead during a drunken fight in Baghdad's Green Zone in August last year.
If convicted of murdering Paul McGuigan, of Peebles, Scotland, and Australian Darren Hoare, both 37, he could be hanged.
His father Eric and stepmother Liz called on UK authorities to back his bid for clemency. Mrs Fitzsimons said: "We need help. We need help from the British Government, we need help to try to save Danny's life. We need fairness for Danny."
Echoing their calls, Clive Stafford Smith, director of legal charity Reprieve said it was the Government's "legal and moral duty" to involved in the case. He is calling on ministers to make direct representations to the Iraqi government and assist his defence team in building a case.
The former soldier was working for ArmorGroup at the time of the violent incident that led to the two men's deaths.
In text messages sent to the Guardian from his prison cell, Fitzsimons claimed that he had acted in self defence during a drunken fight. He told the newspaper that he shot McGuigan three times because the man had pulled a gun on him. He added that he killed Hoare in a fight that followed the initial shootings.
One text read: "Paul grabbed my M4, which had been scattered away from my assault vest and armour. He cocked the weapon. I pulled the Glock from my vest, chambered a round. Paul had already told me he was going to kill me now he had my M4 in his shoulder. I shot him three times in the chest."
In a separate text message he said the circumstances surrounding the second death were "blotchy at best".
"I remember blackness then madness. I know I fought for control of the pistol with Darren and I know I gained control and he was shot at point blank I'm sure," he wrote.
Reader views (1)
If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. No sympathy, he is a mercenary.
- Kerry, Purley, 19/03/2010 19:28
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