Telegraph : MI6 kept Gareth William's computer memory sticks from police

MI6 kept Gareth William's computer memory sticks from police

MI6 failed to hand over nine computer memory sticks belonging to spy Gareth Williams to the police investigating his death, an inquest heard.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | May 1, 2012

The intelligence service also examined “electronic media” of the maths prodigy without telling the police.

A full inventory of his belongings at work and the presence of a red North Face holdall were also never passed on to officers.

The existence of the memory sticks and MI6 data searches only emerged this morning on what was due to be the final day of evidence.

DCI Jackie Sebire, the Met officer leading the investigation, revealed the first she heard of it was this morning.

She said she would have expected to have been informed in August 2010, when Mr Williams’ body was discovered, and any relevant information passed on.

Westminster Coroner’s Court is investigating the death of Mr Williams, whose naked decomposing body was found in a North Face holdall in a bath at his Pimlico flat in London in August 2010.

The inquest heard on Monday that Mr Williams would have suffocated within three minutes after getting inside his sports holdall.

Poisoning and asphyxiation were the "foremost contenders" in solving the death riddle, pathologists said.

It also emerged scientists found traces of "at least" two unknown people in his upmarket London apartment despite evidence Mr Williams rarely invited people over.

Forensic expert Ros Hammond said there were hopes of a breakthrough "within a matter of weeks" from DNA tests on a green towel discovered in his kitchen.

"There's hope," she told Westminster Coroner's Court. "The tests are still in progress and there may be some promising results from those tests."

The 31-year-old was probably suffocated or killed by a poison which disappeared in his system during decomposition, pathologist Benjamin Swift said.

Dr Swift said his post-mortem examination was hampered by levels of heat within the bag after radiators were turned on in Mr Williams's top-floor flat in the middle of summer.

Ian Calder, who performed the second post-mortem examination, observed that the build-up of carbon dioxide would have become poisonous to Mr Williams within about two or three minutes, had he been alive when he entered the bag.

"The toxic effect of the carbon dioxide... plays some considerable havoc with the chemistry of the body and so as a result of that the accumulation of carbon dioxide has quite a considerable effect on the wellness of the individual," he said.

A soporific state would have been induced before the spy lost consciousness, which could have prevented him from trying to escape, he said.

Hypercapnia - a high level of carbon dioxide in the blood - would be a "reasoned explanation" of what might have happened to Mr Williams.

Another pathologist, Richard Shepherd, also said it was "more likely (Mr Williams) was alive when he entered the bag than that he was dead".

There was, however, "no suggestion" the spy's body had been manhandled into the holdall and were he to have been forced into it either alive or straight after he died, marks on his body would have been expected, Mr Shepherd said.

Dr Swift said he believed Mr Williams would have died shortly after his last-known movements on August 15 in his top-floor apartment in Pimlico, central London.

The evidence came after bag experts said even Harry Houdini would have struggled to lock himself in the bag.

The hearing continues.

CBS : Experts puzzled over U.K. spy's mystery death

Experts puzzled over U.K. spy's mystery death

April 30, 2012

(CBS/AP) LONDON - Poisoning or asphyxiation may have killed a British spy whose naked body was found locked inside a sports bag, but pathologists acknowledged Monday they can't be certain of the exact cause of his mysterious death.

Three specialists who conducted autopsies on the intelligence officer told an inquest hearing that his cadaver badly decomposed as it lay undiscovered for several days, hampering attempts to explain his death.

Gareth Williams, 31, worked for Britain's secret eavesdropping service GCHQ but was attached to the MI6 overseas spy agency when his remains were found in August 2010 at his London apartment inside the bag, and placed in a bathtub.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox has previously been told that MI6 colleagues failed to report Williams as missing for a week, meaning that police and pathologists lost vital chances to gather evidence.

Pathologist Benjamin Swift told the inquest that radiators had been turned on inside Williams' apartment — even though it was the height of Britain's warm summer — increasing the heat levels and accelerating the decomposition of his body.

Asked whether Williams may have been poisoned or suffocated, Swift said the options "were certainly two of the more prominent" explanations for the cryptology expert's death.

"I would never say never but those are the foremost contenders," he told the hearing.

Police have said they are not certain exactly how Williams died and have so far made no arrests, although a senior detective has told the inquest she believes that someone else must have been involved.

Ivestigators staged a re-enactment in the hopes that it would help explain how Williams wound up dead in the bathtub, CBS News' Charlie D'Agata reported.

Officers have indicated Williams' death may have had links to his private life and an apparent interest in sadomasochism — possibly during a sexual encounter gone awry.

His relatives, however, insist his demise must be related to his highly secret work.

Pathologists agreed that it was most likely that Williams had climbed inside the sports bag voluntarily.

Ian Calder, who carried out a second autopsy, said Williams would have rapidly suffered from an accumulation of carbon dioxide, which "plays some considerable havoc with the chemistry of the body."

The spy would have soon been in "a situation of not being aware, of not being able to react to getting himself out of the environment," Calder said.

Pathologist Richard Shepherd, who carried out a third examination, said it was more likely that Williams "was alive when he entered the bag than that he was dead."

He said that it would have been very difficult to place Williams' dead body inside the duffel bag in the position it was found in. He was discovered in the fetal position with his arms folded across his chest.

There were also no signs that the spy had struggled to free himself.

"Were he to be alive and struggling I would anticipate there to have been injuries," Shepherd said.

Wilcox has said she expects to deliver a verdict in the case this week.

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Guardian : Gareth Williams probably died by suffocation or poisoning, inquest told

Gareth Williams probably died by suffocation or poisoning, inquest told

MI6 officer could have lost consciousness within two to three minutes due to buildup of CO2 inside bag, says pathologist

Caroline Davies | April 30, 2012

The MI6 officer Gareth Williams probably suffocated to death in a locked sports holdall or died from an unknown poison, his inquest heard.

The 31-year-old codes and ciphers expert would have been overcome very rapidly by CO2, losing consciousness within two to three minutes, if the bag was sealed while he was alive.

Cause of death could not be ascertained because of the level of decomposition by the time his body was found, which meant certain poisons or volatile agents would not be detected, Dr Benjamin Swift, a consultant forensic pathologist, told the inquest. The "foremost contenders" were asphyxiation by suffocation or poisoning, he said.

The naked body of Williams was found in a padlocked holdall in his bath at his top-floor flat in Pimlico, central London, on 23 August 2010.

The Home Office pathologist Richard Shepherd said it was "more likely than not" that Williams was alive when he entered the bag, but it was "an extremely difficult call". Because of the "floppiness" of a newly dead body, it was not easy to place a body as neatly as Williams was found, he said.

Postmortem examinations revealed no evidence of "restraint, gripping or holding" marks inflicted before death. There was no evidence of strangulation or physical trauma. Williams could have entered the bag voluntarily or been coerced into it under threat, Shepherd agreed.

The independent pathologist Ian Calder, who carried out a second postmortem, said hypercapnia – carbon dioxide poisoning – would have caused a soporific effect with "gradual fading away with no pain and an increasing lack of awareness".

Asked by the coroner, Fiona Wilcox, how long that might have taken, Calder said: "Two to three minutes at best for the level to become toxic."

Small abrasions on the tips of Williams's elbows were discovered. The hearing was told these could be consistent with him moving his arms inside the bag, possibly in an attempt to escape. "Once the lock is placed on it there was no possibility of getting out of that bag," said Shepherd. "The question is: did he place the lock or did another?"

Williams would have had "a period of awareness" of being overcome by CO2, and the grazes could represent an attempt to get out, the inquest heard. "Death will come so fast, leaving little or no chance even in fit young people for there to be a response," said Shepherd. Hypercapnia was a "sign-free death", he added.

The inquest heard that the postmortem examinations were hampered by decomposition caused by heat. Despite it being summer, the radiators in the flat were on. The degree of decomposition suggested Williams had been dead for 10 days at the time of postmortem, consistent with the last time he was seen alive on CCTV on 15 August 2010.

Two hairs were recovered from the back of Williams's right thumb and his right little finger. The coroner said no forensic analysis of them had been submitted to the inquest, and she asked for any details to be disclosed.

DNA from another person was found on Williams's left hand. The inquest was told that details of the DNA were erroneously inputted into a database by LGC, the forensic company analysing samples, an error only discovered a year after Williams's death. The DNA sample was from one of the forensic scientists at the scene. Paul Allen, of LGC, expressed his "very deep regret" to Williams's family for the error.

Telegraph : MI6 spy Gareth Williams 'probably died from poisoning or asphyxiation'

MI6 spy Gareth Williams 'probably died from poisoning or asphyxiation'

MI6 spy Gareth Williams is most likely to have died from poisoning, suffocation or strangulation, his inquest heard today.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | April 30, 2012

Pathologist Dr Benjamin Swift said Mr Williams’ body was so badly decomposed it meant his cause of death could not be officially “ascertained”.

But he said “poisoning or asphyxiation” were the “foremost contenders” for his death.

The court heard how he could have been dead within "two to three minutes" of being in bag due to the levels of carbon dioxide that would have quickly built up.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners’ Court is investigating Mr Williams’ death, whose decomposing, naked body was found in a padlocked holdall in his bath at his flat in Pimlico in August 2010.

It has already heard that some poisons may not show up in a post mortem because of the level of decomposition.

Dr Swift estimated Mr Williams’ body had been in the bag for ten days.

A second pathologist, Dr Ian Calder said death from carbon dioxide poisoning, because of the restricted breathing space within the bag, was a “very likely possibility”.

Dr Richard Shepherd, who carried out a third post mortem, said he was sure Mr Williams suffered an “unnatural death” and that poisoning or suffocation were the most likely causes.

He said he believed he died in the bag.

Evidence of slight bruising and grazing were also found on Mr Williams' arms but the three separate post mortem examinations failed to find any evidence of a “traumatic” death or struggle.

Dr Shepherd said there was no suggestion he had been “manhandled” but could not rule out he might have been coerced to climb in to it himself, possibly even gunpoint.

He said the slight bruising and grazes could have come from being inside the bag.

But even if he was aware of his predicament and attempted to escape, the padlock on the bag would have “sealed” his fate, he said.

The sixth day of the inquest also heard how police followed a potential DNA clue for more than year before it emerged it belonged to a forensic officer who attended the scene.

An error in recording the data for checking on the database meant no match was initially found suggesting a mystery person was at the flat.

Evidence from forensics officers showed spots of blood were found on the carpet near the kitchen, on the edge of the bath and in the communal doorway.

They also recovered “very weak” traces of blood from the bag handles and padlock. The inquest has already heard that police are still investigating those traces.

A forensic officer also apologised to Mr Willliams’ family after his blunder sent the police on a wild goose chase for more than a year.

Officers believed that had recovered an unknown DNA sample from the back of Mr Williams’ hand.

It was not until February this year that it emerged the sample belonged to a forensic officer from the scene but there had been error when uploading it meaning it did not initially throw up a match.

In a written statement, Paul Stafford Allen apologise for the “distressed” it must have caused.

The inquest heard on Friday how Mr Williams must have been “dead or unconscious” when placed in to the sports bag.

Peter Faulding, a former Parachute Regiment reservist and expert in confined rescues, concluded that not even Harry Houdini could have padlocked himself in the holdall in the bath.

His revelations will further fuel theories that the 31-year-old codebreaker may have been killed.

The maths prodigy had been on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ when he died.

The issue of whether Mr Williams could lock himself in the bag is central to the inquiry and has fuelled theories that a third party was involved.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners’ Court is investigating Mr Williams’ death, whose decomposing, naked body was found in a padlocked holdall in his bath at his flat in Pimlico in August 2010.

Video footage of attempts to recreate climbing in to an 81cm by 48 cm holdall and locking it was shown to the court.

Mr Faulding, who is of similar height and build to Mr Williams, tried to climb in to a bag inside a bath and lock it himself 300 times and failed every time.

The inquest heard that if Mr Willliams had been alive when he went in to the bath, he would have been dead within 30 minutes.

Oxygen levels dropped to 17 per cent and the temperature rose by 10 per cent within five minutes.

However, another expert in “unusual occurrences” and confined places suggested Mr Williams may have been able to do it himself but it was very unlikely.

William MacKay and a colleague tried and failed 100 times although they came “reasonably close” at times.

He said: “There are people who can do amazing things and Mr Williams may well be one of those persons.”

It also emerged a homemade video showing Mr Williams naked except for black leather boots in which he “wiggles and girates” with his back to the camera was on one of his iPhones.

Evidence of visits to bondage and fetish websites were also found on his phones and lap tops.

Web records also showed he once searched for bondage sites and watched a YouTube video after typing "dress bondage training".

Pages from 2008 showed he may have looked at sites relating to "hogtie", a bondage method of tying the limbs together.

His last internet activity was during the early hours of Monday August 16, a week before his body was discovered, and one of his phone had had its factory settings restored - the equivalent of wiping a hard drive.

The phone was backed up on August 15th but it is not known when it was reset.

The hearing continues.

Independent : MI6 spy Gareth Williams 'poisoned or suffocated'

MI6 spy Gareth Williams 'poisoned or suffocated'

Tom Morgan, Rosa Silverman | April 30, 2012

MI6 spy Gareth Williams would have suffocated within three minutes after getting inside his sports holdall, an inquest heard today.

Poisoning and asphyxiation are the "foremost contenders" in solving the death riddle, pathologists said.

It also emerged scientists found traces of "at least" two unknown people in his upmarket London apartment despite evidence Mr Williams rarely invited people over.

Forensic expert Ros Hammond said there were hopes of a breakthrough "within a matter of weeks" from DNA tests on a green towel discovered in his kitchen.

"There's hope," she told Westminster Coroner's Court. "The tests are still in progress and there may be some promising results from those tests."

Ms Hammond said a third party would not necessarily have left any DNA on his red North Face bag and padlock.

But she added: "There's certainly evidence of at least two people other than Mr Williams on the samples tested."

The 31-year-old was probably suffocated or killed by a poison which disappeared in his system during decomposition, pathologist Benjamin Swift said.

Dr Swift said his post-mortem examination was hampered by levels of heat within the bag after radiators were mysteriously turned on in Mr Williams's top-floor flat in the middle of summer.

Ian Calder, who performed the second post-mortem examination, observed that the build-up of carbon dioxide would have become poisonous to Mr Williams within about two or three minutes, had he been alive when he entered the bag.

"The toxic effect of the carbon dioxide... plays some considerable havoc with the chemistry of the body and so as a result of that the accumulation of carbon dioxide has quite a considerable effect on the wellness of the individual," he said.

The results would include headaches, then confusion and eventually unconsciousness and cardiac arrest, he added.

A soporific state would have been induced before the spy lost consciousness, which could have prevented him from trying to escape, he explained.

"He would get into a situation of not being aware, of not being able to react to getting himself out of the environment," Dr Calder said.

Hypercapnia - a high level of carbon dioxide in the blood - would be a "reasoned explanation" of what might have happened to Mr Williams, the pathologist noted.

"I think it's a very likely possibility considering we have a healthy person with no damage, as far as we know no drugs, no trauma, no natural disease," he said.

Examinations on August 25 2010 - two days after Mr Williams was found in a holdall in his bathroom - gave cause of death as "unascertained".

But under questioning today, Dr Swift said poisoning or asphyxiation such as suffocation were "probably rather than possibly" to blame.

Dr Swift said the two causes of death "were certainly two of the more prominent" beliefs as he conducted examinations.

When family lawyer Anthony O'Toole asked if there were any other possible causes of death, Dr Swift replied: "I would never say never but those are the foremost contenders."

Another pathologist, Richard Shepherd, also said it was "more likely (Mr Williams) was alive when he entered the bag than that he was dead".

There was, however, "no suggestion" the spy's body had been manhandled into the holdall and were he to have been forced into it either alive or straight after he died, marks on his body would have been expected, Mr Shepherd said.

Dr Swift said he believed Mr Williams would have died shortly after his last-known movements on August 15 in his top-floor apartment in Pimlico, central London.

The evidence came after bag experts said even Harry Houdini would have struggled to lock himself in the bag.

The inquest was adjourned until tomorrow. Coroner Fiona Wilcox is likely to deliver her verdict on Wednesday.

PA

BBC : MI6 officer 'possibly poisoned or asphyxiated'

BBC : MI6 officer 'possibly poisoned or asphyxiated'

April 30, 2012

MI6 officer Gareth Williams possibly died from poisoning or asphyxiation, a Home Office pathologist has said.

These were the "foremost contenders", Dr Benjamin Swift told the inquest into the death, but he added they were possibilities not probabilities.

Pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd said grazes on Mr Williams's arms could have been caused by attempts to get out of the bag in which his body was found.

Mr Williams, 31, from Anglesey, was found dead in his London flat in 2010.

The three pathologists who conducted post-mortem examinations, and who all gave evidence at Westminster Coroner's Court on Monday, had been unable to reach a firm conclusion on how Mr Williams died.

Dr Swift said he had found no trace of poison, which he said could have disappeared in Mr Williams's system during decomposition.

The pathologist found some grazes and bruising on the body, as well as three areas of internal bruising, but said these could have occurred accidentally - and that he did not think these suggested a struggle to get out of the holdall in which the body was found in an empty bath.

Dr Swift found no significant traumatic injury, no offensive or defensive injuries, no injury from sexual assault nor any bruising consistent with strangulation.

'Not manhandled'

Dr Shepherd said he thought it more likely than not that Mr Williams was alive when he got into, or was put in, the sports bag.

He said it would have been difficult to put a newly-dead body into a bag in a bath "so neatly".

"There is nothing to suggest Gareth's body was manhandled into the bag," he added.

But he said he thought the grazing and bruises on Mr Williams's arms were "indicative of the type of injuries which could have been caused by rubbing his elbows on the inside of the bag to try to get out or to manoeuvre the zip".

"The balance of probability is that Gareth was alive when he got in the bag," he said.

"I think there could have been a period of awareness that he needed to get out. The length of time might have been short."

Dr Ian Calder told the inquest that if Mr Williams had entered the bag alive, the build-up of carbon dioxide inside would have become poisonous within two or three minutes, causing him to become confused and sleepy before eventually leading to loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest.

"He would get into a situation of not being aware, of not being able to react to getting himself out of the environment," Dr Calder said.

"I think it's a very likely possibility considering we have a healthy person with no damage, as far as we know no drugs, no trauma, no natural disease."

Unidentified people

Forensic scientist Ros Hammond told the inquest there was "certainly evidence" of at least two unidentifed people at the flat in Pimlico, central London.

She told the court there were hopes of a breakthrough "within a matter of weeks" from DNA tests on a green towel discovered in the kitchen.

"The tests are still in progress and there may be some promising results from those tests," she said.

Dr Swift said he believed that Mr Williams died shortly after he was last seen alive on 15 August, because the level of decomposition was consistent with the length of time before his body was found on 23 August.

The pathologist said that it was the extent of the decomposition that had prevented the cause of death being ascertained.

He said the heat inside the bag, and in Mr Williams's flat where the radiators were on in the middle of summer, had increased decomposition.

The inquest was adjourned until Tuesday.