A former solider who shot two of his colleagues dead in Iraq was attacked with a metal bar during an attempt on his life.
David O'Brien was yesterday jailed for life for attempting to murder Daniel Fitzsimons at Ashworth Hospital, both having been patients at the high security psychiatric hospital in Maghull. The ECHO can now reveal the victim, more commonly known as Danny Fitzsimons, was jailed for 20 years in 2011 after killing Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoare in August 2009.
The former paratrooper, from Greater Manchester, opened fire on the pair with a Glock 9mm pistol while all three were working for G4S on a private security contract in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad in 2009. He had joined the Royal Fusiliers at the age of 16 and became a private security guard after leaving the Army.
