Guardian : MI6 offers 'profound apology' for delay in reporting Gareth Williams missing

MI6 offers 'profound apology' for delay in reporting Gareth Williams missing

Inquest told delay had 'horrendous' consequences for police investigation into MI6 officer's death

Caroline Davies | April 26, 2012

The Secret Intelligence Service has offered a "profound apology" over delays in reporting MI6 officer Gareth Williams missing, as his inquest heard decomposition meant tests could not establish whether certain drugs or poisons were in his system.

Relatives of the 31-year-old, found dead in a padlocked bag in his flat, broke down as their lawyer said the delay had had "horrendous" consequences for the police investigation leaving it "in essence, almost defeated".

His mother, Ellen, was led sobbing from the court as the inquest heard her son's MI6 line manager, who failed to report him missing from work for seven days, had not faced disciplinary action.

Westminster coroner's court heard decomposition meant any possible presence of a number of substances and anaesthetic agents – such as amyl and alkyl nitrates (or poppers), chloroform, helium, and others which "could have caused poisoning and death" – would not have been detected in the body when the postmortem examination was conducted.

Williams's top-floor flat in Pimlico was extremely hot when his body was finally found on 23 August 2010, seven days after failing to turn up for work. Toxicology tests were conducted two days later.

They revealed alcohol and traces of the "date-rape" drug GHB in his blood and urine, but a panel of experts said both, which occur naturally, were "more likely to be down to decomposition". Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said that although ingestion could not be completely ruled out, it was "more likely to be due to postmortem production" .

She thought it unlikely poisons had been administered, because of the lack of side effects such as vomit, but told the hearing it could not be ruled out.

The expert panel, which examined the test results, said it could not be established "whether Gareth was alive or dead when he entered the bag".

An SIS internal review had found no link between his death and the intelligence work Williams carried out for MI6 or for GCHQ, from where he was on secondment.

Speaking from behind a screen, a senior MI6 officer known only as F, denied "dark arts" were behind his death, but did concede "theoretically" that a "malign or hostile party" could have put pressure on him.

She apologised to his family as their lawyer, Anthony O'Toole, accused SIS of showing "a total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety".

"We are profoundly sorry about what happened. It shouldn't have happened. We recognise that the delay has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with Gareth's death."

"I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation," she said.

She was asked if aspects of Williams's private life – the inquest has heard of his £20,000 collection of women's clothes, and that he accessed websites about claustrophilia, bondage and sadomasochism – might have "rendered him unsuitable for SIS work".

She replied it was "a sensitive area" of questioning as it related to vetting issues, but in general lifestyle and sexual preferences would not in themselves have posed a problem.

Williams, whose job was "developing practical applications for emerging technologies" was described as a "fully deployable highly talented officer", said F.

There was no reason to think foreign intelligence services or security organisation represented a threat to him. His security assessment was that he was "low risk", said F. His work had never taken him to Russia or Afghanistan, contrary to media speculation, the inquest heard. He had been on operational deployment only in the UK.

Contrary to media reports, the flat he was living in was "not an SIS safe house", said F, who understood it had been rented through his employers at GCHQ.

SIS did not carry out an independent internal investigation into his death. But 12 months later, they conducted a "comprehensive internal review".

"It confirmed we had no evidence of any specific threat to Gareth arising out of his work for SIS," said F. It concluded there was no reason to think his death was in any way connected with his job.

His role was to "think up and design technology" to support other operators. "He had a highly skilled, very able technical brain," said F.

"Everyone in SIS found him a very pleasant individual, a good colleague, respected for his talents. An intensely private individual," said F. She added Williams did not socialise with colleagues out of work. "He liked to keep his work life very separate from the rest of his life."

The hearing continues.