A Royal Navy sailor fascinated with violent video games and "gangsta rap" has pleaded guilty to shooting dead an officer on board a nuclear submarine and trying to murder three other crewmates.
Able Seaman Ryan Donovan, 23, admitted murdering Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, 36, while HMS Astute was berthed in Southampton.
He also admitted trying to murder Petty Officer Christopher Brown, 36, Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, 37, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, 45, as he opened fire with an SA80 rifle.
Winchester crown court was told that Donovan had previously told shipmates he would be famous and had been obsessed with the video game Grand Theft Auto, particularly its "kill frenzy" feature.
One witness to the attack said Donovan had a "faraway" look in his eyes as if he were in a "dream" or was in a "video game".
The court also heard that Donovan was nicknamed Reggie Moondog – a gangsta rap persona he had adopted. Lyrics of his were read out. Among the lyrics he had written were: "Tell the quartermaster I caused disaster. SA80 – more palaver. It's another bollocking off the navigator."
Nigel Lickley, prosecuting, told the court that in the lead-up to Donovan's murderous spree in April this year he had been in trouble for refusing to get out of his bunk to help clean the submarine. His refusal to obey orders meant a deployment to another vessel that he had been looking forward to was cancelled.
The court also heard that he had just returned from two days of shore leave in Southampton, during which he had been drinking heavily. As he rejoined the boat he told a colleague: "I'm going to kill somebody. I'm not fucking kidding," adding: "Watch the news."
Donovan fired the SA80 seven times in a 13-second spell within moments of picking up the weapon at the start of a sentry duty. The court was told Molyneux, a father-of-four, was shot as he charged towards Donovan to try to stop him.
Lickley said: "Lt Cdr Molyneux reacted to the noise of the shots. As he turned to tackle the defendant he was shot in the head at very close range and died instantly.
"The defendant stepped over the body of Lt Cdr Molyneux and continued his progress towards the control room."
Donovan entered the control room where Hodge was shot through the body and seriously injured.
Lickley said: "The defendant was wrestled to the ground by the leader of Southampton city council, Royston Smith, and the authority's chief executive, Alistair Neill.
"There can be no doubt they displayed remarkable courage that day, acting against an armed man. We will not know how many more he would have killed if he had not stopped."
The court was told Donovan had been resentful after he had been told he would not be attached to the royal fleet auxiliary ship Cardigan Bay because he had disobeyed orders to clean part of the submarine.
He had been particularly upset with Brown and McCoy over the incident. But Lickley said the shooting spree had long been planned. The previous year Donovan had told a colleague he was trying to "create a massacre" and the pair had discussed the computer game Grand Theft Auto, in which players took part in a "kill frenzy".
Donovan sat in the dock dressed in a light blue shirt and wearing glasses. He was flanked by three security guards. Molyneux's widow sat a few feet away and wept quietly as the circumstances of her husband's death were relayed to the court. Donovan's mitigation begins later.
by Steven Morris taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/19/submarine-shooting-sailor-murder-officer
Able Seaman Ryan Donovan, 23, admitted murdering Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, 36, while HMS Astute was berthed in Southampton.
He also admitted trying to murder Petty Officer Christopher Brown, 36, Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, 37, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, 45, as he opened fire with an SA80 rifle.
Winchester crown court was told that Donovan had previously told shipmates he would be famous and had been obsessed with the video game Grand Theft Auto, particularly its "kill frenzy" feature.
One witness to the attack said Donovan had a "faraway" look in his eyes as if he were in a "dream" or was in a "video game".
The court also heard that Donovan was nicknamed Reggie Moondog – a gangsta rap persona he had adopted. Lyrics of his were read out. Among the lyrics he had written were: "Tell the quartermaster I caused disaster. SA80 – more palaver. It's another bollocking off the navigator."
Nigel Lickley, prosecuting, told the court that in the lead-up to Donovan's murderous spree in April this year he had been in trouble for refusing to get out of his bunk to help clean the submarine. His refusal to obey orders meant a deployment to another vessel that he had been looking forward to was cancelled.
The court also heard that he had just returned from two days of shore leave in Southampton, during which he had been drinking heavily. As he rejoined the boat he told a colleague: "I'm going to kill somebody. I'm not fucking kidding," adding: "Watch the news."
Donovan fired the SA80 seven times in a 13-second spell within moments of picking up the weapon at the start of a sentry duty. The court was told Molyneux, a father-of-four, was shot as he charged towards Donovan to try to stop him.
Lickley said: "Lt Cdr Molyneux reacted to the noise of the shots. As he turned to tackle the defendant he was shot in the head at very close range and died instantly.
"The defendant stepped over the body of Lt Cdr Molyneux and continued his progress towards the control room."
Donovan entered the control room where Hodge was shot through the body and seriously injured.
Lickley said: "The defendant was wrestled to the ground by the leader of Southampton city council, Royston Smith, and the authority's chief executive, Alistair Neill.
"There can be no doubt they displayed remarkable courage that day, acting against an armed man. We will not know how many more he would have killed if he had not stopped."
The court was told Donovan had been resentful after he had been told he would not be attached to the royal fleet auxiliary ship Cardigan Bay because he had disobeyed orders to clean part of the submarine.
He had been particularly upset with Brown and McCoy over the incident. But Lickley said the shooting spree had long been planned. The previous year Donovan had told a colleague he was trying to "create a massacre" and the pair had discussed the computer game Grand Theft Auto, in which players took part in a "kill frenzy".
Donovan sat in the dock dressed in a light blue shirt and wearing glasses. He was flanked by three security guards. Molyneux's widow sat a few feet away and wept quietly as the circumstances of her husband's death were relayed to the court. Donovan's mitigation begins later.
by Steven Morris taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/19/submarine-shooting-sailor-murder-officer
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