Daily Record : Footage of dead MI6 spy Gareth Williams' body is shown to inquest after mother walks out

Footage of dead MI6 spy Gareth Williams' body is shown to inquest after mother walks out

April 24, 2012

THE mother of MI6 spy Gareth Williams, who was found dead in his London flat two years ago, has walked out of inquest proceedings today.

Ellen Williams left the courtroom frustrated about legal submissions holding up the hearing into her son's death, her lawyer said.

Mrs Williams was absent as Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire attempted to dash speculation that secret services removed evidence after Mr Williams was found dead in a sports holdall.

She said nobody was allowed in Mr Williams' London apartment without her knowledge after August 23, 2010.

"To the best of my knowledge I am sure that no one else got in," the detective told the hearing at Westminster Coroner's Court.

During the inquest, dramatic footage of a red holdall bulging with the curled-up body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams was played.

Video of the immaculate flat at the centre of the mysterious death was played for the first time after his parents walked out on proceedings.

Police images of the death scene also showed a cutting from the Observer newspaper headlined "top five regrets of the dying".

Forensic scene recordings were played after the detective in charge said she allowed a counter-terror officer into the crime scene.

But SO15 - the only command at Scotland Yard with regular contact with MI6 - was not in charge of the investigation, she said.

Mr Williams's sister, Ceri Subbe, sat in the hearing without her parents as images showed the scene which greeted detectives as they arrived at his flat on August 23, 2010.

The video took the inquest on a walking tour of his Pimlico home - showing a red woman's wig, lipstick and make-up - in the condition that it was found.

Footage showed close-up images of the white bathroom suite where Mr Williams's body was found.

The film zoomed in on the red North Face bag, showing bulges from his limbs inside, and a brass padlock locking two zips together from the outside.

The flat gave an insight into the codebreaker's mind, showing carefully arranged piles of books and an extensive CD collection.

Detectives found the Observer article detailing regrets of the dying in the living room near a book by Alan Warner and some of Mr Williams's own paintings.

There was no sign of a break-in at the flat with footage showing Mr Williams had left cash in a cupboard and a mobile phone on the living room table.

Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire said there was little clutter and mess in the flat except for a dressing gown and quilt discarded on the bedroom floor.

Ms Sebire said: "I also found it difficult to explain because of his general tidyness. In my opinion it was not something that was easily explainable."

CCTV images were also shown to the inquest with Detective Sebire and coroner Fiona Wilcox agreeing that at no point in the footage, did anyone seem to be following him.

Image of the spy's final days show him to be relaxed as he shops at various upmarket stores in west London. On August 15, the day he was last seen alive, Mr Williams is seen shopping at Harrods and Waitrose before entering Alderney Street, where he lived at 3.05pm.

Mr Williams was due to move back to the West Country a week after his naked body was discovered padlocked inside a holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, west London, on August 23, 2010.