Telegraph : Family of dead spy in tribute to 'loving son'

Family of dead spy in tribute to 'loving son'

By Nick Collins | August 28, 2010

The family of Gareth Williams, the British spy found murdered this week, paid tribute to their ''generous, loving son, brother, and friend'' as police investigated whether the GCHQ codes expert had been living a secret double life.

The message came as detectives revealed that the last reported sighting of the 30-year-old was on Sunday, August 15 - eight days before his decomposing body was found at his London home.

His family said: ''Gareth was a generous, loving son, brother, and friend, and he was a very private person. He was a great athlete, and loved cycling and music.

''His loss has devastated us and we would ask that anyone with information to come forward and assist the police inquiry.''

The mathematician, who was on secondment to MI6, was found dead in a sports holdall in the bath of his Government flat on Monday.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We can confirm that Mr Williams was in London from Wednesday August 11, and what officers believe is the last confirmed sighting of him still alive in London was on Sunday August 15."

Investigators have begun examining his private life amid claims linking him to a male escort and suggestions that bondage equipment had been found at his home.

In the statement released by police, Mr Williams' family said the "speculation" had been "very distressing".

Sources close to the investigation have rejected the claims.

Relative William Hughes, 62, a councillor on Anglesey, insisted there was no evidence the allegations are correct.

Mr Hughes, a cousin of Mr Williams' mother, Ellen, said: "I have spoken to Gareth's parents and they are not doing well at all.

"They are in a state of shock and struggling to come to terms with what has happened.

"They have seen what has been in the papers and they are very, very upset about these untruths. I don't see any evidence of it.

"It never crossed my mind that Gareth was that sort of person. He left home at a young age and what happened in his private life was his business."

Mr Hughes said it was possible the Government, or another agency, might be attempting to discredit Mr Williams.

Police turned their focus to Mr Williams' private life after colleagues discovered his body and raised the alarm.

He was days from completing a one-year secondment to the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, in Vauxhall, London.

He was due to return to a rented flat in Cheltenham where Government Communications Headquarters, GCHQ, is based.

It is understood Mr Williams also worked for the United States National Security Agency and made regular trips to Washington DC and Fort Meade, near Baltimore.

The mystery over his final hours deepened after a post-mortem examination failed to identify a cause of death.

Further tests will determine if the cycling fanatic was asphyxiated or poisoned, as well as if drugs or alcohol were present in his system.

A pathologist found Mr Williams was not stabbed or shot and there were no obvious signs of strangulation.

Police have refused to categorise the death as a murder despite the bizarre circumstances, and say he may have died innocently.

They were considering whether he became the victim of a sex game that went wrong.

Officers suspect he may have known his killer as there was no sign of forced entry at his top-floor flat in smart Alderney Street, Pimlico.

But questions remain over why his body was not discovered earlier.

Friends described Mr Williams as an extremely bright, quiet and determined man who did not discuss his private life.

Childhood friend Dylan Parry, 34, said he was academically gifted but socially naive and could be easily-led.