Sailor Back in Court

A Royal Navy sailor from Dartford has been remanded until June, charged with the murder of a colleague and the attempted murders of three other crew during a shooting on board a nuclear submarine in Southampton.

A Royal Navy sailor was remanded in custody as he made his first crown court appearance accused of the murder of a colleague from Wigan and the attempted murders of three other crew on board a nuclear submarine in Southampton.

Judge Keith Cutler adjourned the case for a plea and case management hearing on June 10 and remanded Donovan in custody until then.

Able Seaman Ryan Samuel Donovan, 22, of Hillside Road, Dartford, Kent, appeared at Winchester Crown Court charged with the murder of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, 36, who was fatally shot on board HMS Astute while it was docked in Southampton, Hampshire, last Friday.

He has also been charged with the attempted murders of Petty Officer Christopher Brown, 36, Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, 37, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, 45.


During a hearing at Southampton magistrates court on Monday, chief prosecutor for Hampshire Crown Prosecution Service Nick Hawkins told the court the allegation against Donovan was that he fired an SA80 rifle six times, aiming at the four named victims, killing Lt Cdr Molyneux (pictured left).

Lt Cdr Molyneux's widow, Gillian, described the father-of-four from Wigan as "utterly devoted to his family''.

She added: "Everything he did was for us. He was very proud to be an officer in the Royal Navy Submarine Service.''