Irish Independent : MI6 spy probably locked himself into holdall

MI6 spy probably locked himself into holdall

Tom Whitehead | November 14, 2013

The MI6 spy found dead in a bag three years ago most likely locked himself in the holdall, police are expected to announce today.

A fresh Scotland Yard review of the so-called "spy in a bag" case has concluded Gareth Williams was able to climb into a sports bag unaided and there is little evidence of foul play.

The findings will contradict the conclusions of a coroner who last year said he had "probably" died at the hands of another.

The naked, decomposing body of Mr Williams, a codebreaker on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ, the signals intelligence agency, was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, London, in August 2010.

Despite an intensive investigation, no one has been arrested and the circumstances surrounding his death have remained a mystery.

Following an eight-day inquest last year, coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox concluded that Mr Williams was probably "unlawfully killed" in a criminal act after experts found it impossible to climb into a bag by themselves.

But it is understood that it has now been concluded that it was possible for Mr Williams, who the inquest heard had an interest in escapology, to get in to the bag by himself and that was the most likely scenario.

A senior Whitehall source said: "It seems as though the coroner made a mistake in ruling out evidence that Williams could not have climbed into the holdall without outside help." (© Daily Telegraph, London)

Irish Independent