Mirror : Body-in-a-bag DNA riddle: Traces of stranger's DNA found on zip and padlock on holdall... but nowhere else in MI6 spy's flat

Body-in-a-bag DNA riddle: Traces of stranger's DNA found on zip and padlock on holdall... but nowhere else in MI6 spy's flat

Traces of unidentified DNA were found on the lock and zip toggle of the sports holdall left in the MI6 officer’s bath

By Tom Pettifor | April 24, 2012

Spy Gareth Williams was placed inside his own bag by a mystery person who may also have killed him, his inquest heard today.

Traces of unidentified DNA were found on the lock and zip toggle of the sports holdall left in the MI6 officer’s bath.

Det Ch Insp Jackie Sebire – leading the inquiry into the bizarre death of the MI6 codebreaker – dismissed claims that the spy had locked himself into his bag.

She told his inquest today: “My thought since I went into the scene is that a third party had been involved in the death or putting the bag in the bath, so my primary focus was to identify anyone who had been in the bathroom.”

However, no traces of any stranger was found anywhere else in the flat.

The spy’s parents both left the inquest today before graphic images of their son’s death scene were shown.

Details also emerged of £20,000 worth of women’s designer clothing which were found in his flat, along with several women’s wigs and 26 pairs of women’s shoes.

The inquest was also told how MI6 failed to inform police when the meticulous timekeeper went missing after a working trip to the States.

His body was eventually found in his flat a week later by police only after his sister Ceri Subbe raised the alarm.

Footage of the red holdall bulging with his curled-up body was played to the inquest today.

Computer-generated images were also shown of Mr Williams lying inside on his back with his knees, hands and chin pressed into his chest.

DCI Sebire said: “In my opinion he was very calm, his face was calm, his hands were lying on his chest.

“It would have been very hot and uncomfortable within the bag.”

The inquest heard that there were two keys which fitted the padlock found inside the bag under his right buttock.

DCI Sebire also confirmed there were “two minor components of another person’s DNA” on the zip toggle and a “small component of another contributor’s DNA” on the padlock.

But she said the traces were very small and no match could be made.

Mr Williams’ grief-stricken parents, Ellen and Ian, walked out of before video footage of his flat was played.

Images showed a Sunday newspaper cutting found on a table, headlined: “Top five regrets of the dying.”

The wish list included: “I wish I had the courage to live life true to myself and not what others expected of me”, “I wish I had the courage to express my feelings” and “I wish I had let myself be happy.”

The video took the inquest on a walking tour of Mr Williams’ immaculately kept flat in Pimlico, Central London.

Around £20,000 worth of designer women’s clothing were found, along with several women’s wigs and 26 pairs of women’s shoes, including pairs by Stella McCartney and Christian Louboutin.

The shoes were all in a size six or a six-and-a-half, which would have fitted the cycling enthusiast, Westminster coroner’s court was told.

Four pairs appeared to have been worn. There was also make-up, including nail vanish, concealer and eye shadow.

But Sian Jones – a friend of Mr Williams from school in Wales – told the hearing she didn’t believe he was a transvestite.

She said: “I feel like he’d have been able to confide in me... and I wouldn’t have judged him.”

Ms Jones said she would see him every couple of days and he would shower her with gifts.

“He did say he was not happy in London,” she said. “He said that he found it quite lonely and within work it was very cliquey.

"I would say that we were childhood sweethearts when we were in school and I’d say Gareth was very fond of me.

“He was a very kind-hearted person, very lovely, very inspiring to be around and very down to earth.”

The hearing heard how Mr Williams had travelled to the US to meet intelligence agents before flying back to Gatwick on August 11, 2010.

Various receipts and CCTV footage showed that he spent some of the following four days shopping in London.

On August 13 he went on his own to see “tranny superstar” Jonny Woo performing in Bethnal Green, East London.

His final known journey was captured by a string of cameras on August 15 as he shopped in Harrods before walking home via Victoria bus station.

DCI Sebire said that the brilliant mathematician – seconded to MI6 from GCHQ – looked relaxed and did not appear to be followed.

The last known time he is believed to have been alive was 1.03am on August 16 when his computer was used to log on to a cycling website.

Four intelligence agents are due to give evidence at the hearing from behind a screen later this week.

The inquest continues.