Sub shooting sailor disobeyed order to get out of bed (From Daily Echo)

Sub shooting sailor Ryan Donovan disobeyed order to get out of bed on HMS Astute

1:25pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News By Julian Robinson, Eastleigh Chief Reporter

A SUBMARINER refused orders to get out of bed days before murdering a colleague onboard a nuclear submarine, an inquest heard.

Able Seaman Ryan Donovan appeared "agitated and stressed" as he was given orders to help with a clean up in the vessel, which was docked at Southampton.

Leading Hand Adam Hookway told an inquest how Donovan was "pulling his hair" after being asked to get out of bed before being disciplined by senior officers on board HMS Astute.

Days later, Donovan embarked on a rampage that resulted in the death of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux.

Southampton Coroner's Court has heard how Donovan had knocked back 20 pints of lager and cider as well as cocktails and shots in the 48 hours before his shift.

The morning before the murder, he started to "sing or rap" to himself while others were in conversation in the submarine's mess.

When another Leading Hand jokingly asked, "You're not going to do anything stupid today are you?", Donovan leant over and spat in a colleague's cup of tea.

The 23-year-old is currently serving a minimum of 25 years behind bars for the murder of father-of-four Lt Cdr Molyneux and the attempted murder of Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, who he shot in the stomach on the morning of April 8.

Proceeding