Daily Mail : MI6 spy 'could have died in sex game that went wrong'

MI6 spy 'could have died in sex game that went wrong'

By Charlotte Gill | September 13, 2010

Police investigating the death of an MI6 spy have not ruled out the theory that he may have died in a bizarre sex game gone wrong.

Gareth Williams's naked body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat.

And as part of the police investigation, a woman officer similar in size, climbed into a replica bag and managed to zip it up, then squeeze her hand through a small gap and padlock it from the inside.

There is a suggestion Mr Williams may have done something similar - possibly for sexual pleasure - then panicked and suffocated when he could not reopen it.

It has been reported that the key to the padlock on the red North Face bag containing his body, was found alongside him.

Erotic asphyxiation is defined as the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal.

The practice killed Tory MP Stephen Milligan whose body was found in 1994 with a bag over his head and an orange in his mouth.

Detectives remain puzzled over the death of Mr Williams, a cipher and codes expert for GCHQ, on secondment to MI6. His body was found on August 23, in Pimlico, London.

A post-mortem examination failed to reveal a cause of death and officers are awaiting the results of toxicology tests which may offer more information on how he died.

Alcohol and routine or recreational drugs did not contribute to his death. Tests are ongoing to find out if a rare drug or poison were used.

Though murder is highly likely, it remains a possibility the 31-year-old's death was not foul play.

Mr Williams's parents of Anglesey, North Wales, are frustrated the investigation seems no further forward.

They were horrified at claims of their bachelor son's supposedly wild homosexual lifestyle and fear that lurid allegations surrounding his private life - since denied - were part of a 'dirty tricks' campaign.