The submarine crewmember accused of murder onboard the nuclear submarine HMS Astute is due to appear before Southampton magistrates today Monday.
Ryan Samuel Donovan has been charged for the murder of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, as well as the attempted murder of Petty Officer Christopher Brown, Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge on board the HMS Astute.
Now details have emerged that the murder suspect was desperate to get off the HMS Astute, weeks before the shooting took place onboard the ship.
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A female relative said Mr Donovan had told her that his relationship with his fellow crewmembers had deteriorated, and that senior officers were aware of the situation but nothing had been done.
“We were always in touch and he told me everything”, the relative told the Daily Telegraph.
“Things weren’t going right. Questions have been raised about why he was allowed to remain on the sub at all and I would have to echo that,” she continued.
The grandfather of the murder suspect, Cornelius Donovan, said:
“I just can’t believe it, the whole family is in shock. Of course we’ll stand by him. He’s such a family boy and loved seeing us all. I know he was missing home and hadn’t been allowed back up.”
“I know he had become disillusioned with it all. I am angry that he hadn’t been allowed home if that’s what he wanted.”
Donovan’s grandfather said he had been very proud when his grandson signed up to the navy.
“He had loved it but in the last year or so he had viewed the Navy more as a job than anything else. It wasn’t the same,” Cornelius Donovan said.
The 22-year-old seaman, had been keen to pursue a career in the music industry, giving himself the artist-name ‘Reggie Moondogg’.
A friend of Donovan told The Sun: “Ryan fancied himself as a rapper and wrote his lyrics while at sea with the Royal Navy.”
Mr Donovan is also said to have become friends with hit-machine Tinie Tempah while taking drama classes at a London school, and that he and Tinie often would call each other to speak about music.
Donovan had worked as a sound engineer while trying to launch his music career before finally joining the Navy three years ago.
The murdered seaman, Lt Cmdr Molyneux, from Lancashire, was a father of four with children aged between six and 14.
His devastated wife Gillian said:
“Ian was utterly devoted to his family. Everything he did was for us.”
“He was very proud to be an officer in the Royal Navy Submarine Service. He will live on in our four beautiful children.”
