Wales Online : Family of Gareth Williams attack MI6's 'lack of concern' over spy's well-being

Family of Gareth Williams attack MI6's 'lack of concern' over spy's well-being

Family release statement after police report concludes spy's death was 'probably an accident'

By Paul Rowland | November 13, 2013

The family of dead spy Gareth Williams have criticised MI6 over their response to his disappearance in August 2010.

Mr Williams, from Anglesey, was eventually found dead instead a holdall in his London flat after failing to turn up for work.

And speaking after a police report concluded that Mr Williams' death was "probably an accident", his family said they believed MI6's failure to respond with more urgency to his disappearance was responsible for the lack of information relating to the circumstances surrounding his death.

Mr Williams's family said in a statement issued through the police: "We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief.

"We consider that on the basis of the facts known at present the Coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death."

"We note that the investigation has been conducted with further interviews upon some of the witnesses who gave evidence at the inquest, and that the investigation team were at last able to interview directly members of GCHQ and SIS.

"We consider that on the basis of the facts at present known, the Coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death.

"We still, however, remain very disappointed over the failure of his employers at MI6 to take even the most basic inquiries concerning Gareth's welfare when he failed to attend for work on August 16, 2010.

"We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer would have undertaken, further information relating to the cause of his death might have become apparent and not have been lost due to the length of time before Gareth's body was found.

"This lack of concern for Gareth's well-being remains an over-riding feature of our thoughts following the death of a dear son and brother.

"We do not propose to make any further comment now concerning Gareth's death, either personally nor through our legal representatives."