West End Extra : Police challenge coroner’s ruling on MI6 death – but ‘how can you lock yourself in a bag by accident?’

Police challenge coroner’s ruling on MI6 death – but ‘how can you lock yourself in a bag by accident?’

by WILLIAM McLENNAN | November 15, 2013

THE death of an MI6 code-breaker who was found naked inside a locked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat was a “tragic accident” that was not “in any way related to his work”, according to Scotland Yard.

Last year an inquest found it was likely Gareth Williams, who was 31, had been “unlawfully killed” at his home in Alderney Street in August 2010.

But Detective Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said this week that they disputed the coroner’s findings and said: “It is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.”

No major breakthrough has been made by police but, instead, they reached the conflicting conclusion after reanalysing existing evidence and carrying out further interviews with 27 members of the security services who worked with Mr Williams.

The long-running police investigation has been dogged by speculation about the involvement of the security services in his death and several blogs have sprung up dedicated to the so-called “Alderney Street Mystery”.

It was the “talk of Lupus Street” for weeks after the death, and the announcement on Wednesday was said to have left Pimlico residents “baffled”.

DAC Hewitt denied having the “wool pulled over my eyes” by the security services and said MI6 had co-operated with the investigation.

He said it was now proven that it is “theoretically possible” for somebody to lock themselves in “the exact holdall, with the same type of lock, and in the configuration in which Gareth was found”.

Announcing the end of the Metropolitan Police Service’s investigation, DAC Hewitt nevertheless said it was impossible to rule out the involvement of a third party. He said: “The reality is that for both hypotheses there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding.”

Mr Williams’s family disagree with the Met’s conclusion and said the coroner’s ruling “accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death”.

After an inquest, held in Marylebone in April last year, coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said: “The cause of his death was unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated.

“I am therefore satisfied that on the balance of probabilities that Gareth was killed unlawfully.”

In a statement this week Mr Williams’s family said: “We are naturally disappointed that it is 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”.

Mr Williams, who was originally from Wales, worked for the Government Communications Headquarters in Cheltenham but was living in Pimlico while on secondment at MI6 in Vauxhall.

During the inquest last year it was suggested that the two-bedroom flat near the junction with Warwick Way was used as a safe house for MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service, SIS.

This was denied by security services, but at the inquest Anthony O’Toole, the lawyer for Mr Williams’s family, suggested there was evidence that “since 2003 the tenant of the flat has been the secretary of state”– in other words that it had been occupied continuously by agents from MI6 since that year.

At the inquest last year, Mr O’Toole asked if it was “possible that it may have been known to certain parties as being the residence of SIS”.

Pimlico resident Murad Gassanly told West End Extra: “When it first happened it was the talk of Lupus Street, in the shops and so on, and everyone was quite shocked that it was in their neighbourhood and so close.

“I think people are talking about it again today, but they’re just baffled. How can you lock yourself in a bag by accident?”

Mr Williams was not been well known in Pimlico and this week police said: “He was without doubt a private person who was very close to his family and had few other close friends.”

He was said to go for walks around Belgravia and regularly visit Dover Street market in Mayfair.

Panorama (Armenia) : 'Spy found in bag not killed'

'Spy found in bag not killed'

November 14, 2013

Gareth Williams, the MI6 codebreaker found dead inside an externally locked bag in his apartment in 2010, was probably not killed as previously believed, London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday, citing a lack of evidence otherwise, according to CNN.

Taking a different position from a coroner's report last year that said it was likely someone killed Gareth Williams, London's Metropolitan Police said its three-year investigation suggested that Williams most likely locked himself inside the large bag.

"We believe that it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said.

But the Met said that despite its investigation, there remained insufficient evidence to be definitive on how Williams died.

"There are holes in what we understand about the circumstances of Gareth Williams' death," Hewitt said, admitting that some of the evidence is "odd."

This includes the lack of Williams' DNA on the padlock used to lock the large red bag his body was found in and the lack of hand prints on the edge of the bath where it was found, he said.

"What we are left with is either individual pieces of evidence, or a lack of such evidence, that can logically support one of a number of hypotheses," Hewitt said.

The case has gripped the British public since Williams, known for his mathematical genius and code-breaking talent, was found dead at age 31 in August 2010.

Among the theories aired by UK media were that Williams might have died at the hands of foreign intelligence agents or as a result of a kinky sexual encounter gone wrong. Added to that speculation was the discovery of women's clothes, wigs and cosmetics in Williams' apartment.

At the inquest into his death last year, coroner Fiona Wilcox shot down that speculation, saying she thought Williams bought them out of an interest in fashion, rather than any sexual motivation.

Other reports about the "body-in-a-bag spy" detailed how two experts spent days trying to figure out whether Williams could have contorted himself in such a way as to lock himself into the North Face holdall bag, with a key to the padlock inside.

Video of two experts trying to recreate the scene was showing to the court. One had tried 300 times without success, but neither ruled out definitively the possibility Williams could have somehow done it alone.

"It is now proven that it is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves in that exact holdall, with the same type of lock, and in the configuration in which Gareth was found. It is important to note that this fact was found to be a possibility by the inquest," Hewitt said.

Meanwhile, family members suggested Williams had been murdered by killers versed in the "dark arts" of espionage.

Referring to speculation that Williams' flat might have been forensically cleaned by unknown people responsible for his death, Hewitt said Wednesday that a deep-clean would have removed all traces of Williams' DNA as well that of visitors to his flat.

He said 10 to 15 traces of DNA had been found that were too insignificant to use to build a full profile and said advances in forensic science could "present opportunities for progress." For the time being, however, there are "no active lines of enquiry that it is proportionate to pursue."

Williams' family expressed their regret that mystery still surrounds his death but said they agree with the coroner's verdict "on the basis of the facts at present known."

"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," they said in a written statement.

The family reiterated their disappointment that Williams' employers at MI6 had not checked on his welfare when he failed to attend work on August 16, 2010.

Williams was finally reported missing by a co-worker on August 23, more than a week after the normally punctilious employee had last shown up at work.

"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," they said.

The family also noted that the Met's investigators "were at last able to interview directly members of (UK intelligence agencies) GCHQ and SIS."

Addressing media, Hewitt disputed a suggestion that police had been "blindsided" in their investigation by intelligence agencies but acknowledged that their method of interaction had improved during the investigation. "We didn't get it right at the beginning," he said.

Initially, he said, the only Met officers to deal with the intelligence agencies were those in SO15 -- or counterterrorism command. The SO15 officers had assessed Williams' vetting and personnel files and found nothing relevant to the case.

After the inquest, the senior investigating officer in the case personally requested and was granted access to the files and came to the same conclusion, Hewitt said.

"The investigation into Gareth's death will remain under review, and any new significant information or evidence will be robustly investigated," he said.

"If it is possible for us to give his family more answers we will do so."

Express : Family blast MI6 as police say spy died in 'bizarre accident after locking himself in bag'

Family blast MI6 as police say spy died in 'bizarre accident after locking himself in bag'

THE family of body-in-a-bag spy Gareth Williams blasted MI6 chiefs yesterday as a Scotland Yard investigation failed to solve the mystery of his death.

By: John Twomey | November 14, 2013

Despite extensive inquiries, detectives can only say the codebreaker “probably” died alone in a bizarre accident. But his grieving relatives still believe the 31-year-old fitness fanatic was murdered by an unknown assassin who left his naked body padlocked inside a sports holdall in his bath. They condemned his superiors at the spy agency for failing to raise the alarm until he had been missing for 10 days. By the time his body was discovered, his corpse was already decomposing and it has not been impossible to establish a cause of death.

His family said in a statement: “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.

Her verdict prompted a renewed inquiry by Scotland Yard and a senior detective released the findings yesterday after consulting Mr Williams’s family.

For the first time, murder squad detectives have had direct access to Mr Williams’s vetting and personnel files rather than having to go through a liaison officer from the Yard’s counter-terrorism command.

Since the inquest, officers have interviewed 27 members of MI6 or GCHQ.

There is no suggestion his death is linked to his work.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: “Despite extensive inquiries, no evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth’s death beyond reasonable doubt.”

But he added: “Our view is the most probable scenario is that Gareth was alone when this accident happened.”

Police suspect the spy locked himself into the red North Face holdall - possibly during a lone sex game or as an experiment in escapology - and suffocated when he could not get out.

Scotland Yard said yesterday Coroner Dr Wilcox now accepts that findings of the police and the conclusion that Mr Williams probably died alone by accident.

But there will be no new inquest and her original verdict still stands. Mr Williams’s family has previously said they believe some agency specialising in the “dark arts” is linked to his death.

They said yesterday: “We consider that, on the basis of the facts at present known, the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

A series of vital questions remained yesterday which the Yard investigation has failed to answer.

• If the spy locked himself inside the bag, why is there no trace of his DNA on the padlock?

• If he lowered himself into the bag in the bath, why didn’t he leave his palm prints on the bath rim?

• It is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves inside into such a bag but where is the conclusive evidence that Mr Williams did so?

• Why was the heating switched on in the middle of summer?

• Up to 15 DNA traces found in the modest apartment remain unidentified so who left them?

Mr Hewitt dismissed reports that the flat had been subjected to some kind of “forensic clean” as fingermarks and DNA going back several years have been recovered.

The veteran detective also rejected the idea MI6 had “pulled the wool over his eyes” and said the spy agency had fully co-operated with the Yard.

Mr Williams, who worked for GCHQ and was on secondment to MI6, was deeply interested in women’s fashion and had a collection of women’s designer clothes worth around £15,000 in his flat.

Most of the garments were still in boxes and none of it had been worn. He had taken two college courses in clothing design.

Mr Hewitt said yesterday: “I am satisfied that the existence of the clothing has not direct bearing on the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

Extensive examination of the spy’s phones and laptops failed to shed any light on the mystery.

Inquiries revealed Mr Williams as an intensely private person with few close friends.

But Mr Hewitt said: “The universal view of colleagues was of a conscientious and decent man with a few well known hobbies such as his cycling and climbing.

“There is no evidence of any animosity towards Gareth and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm.” Forensic work to identify the unknown DNA traces is continuing and the Yard says the case will be kept under regular review.

Wales Online : Lawyer of dead Welsh spy Gareth Williams' family claims he was gagged at inquest

Lawyer of dead Welsh spy Gareth Williams' family claims he was gagged at inquest

Anthony O'Toole believes there has been a security cover-up over Mr Williams' death after police yesterday insisted his death was probably accidental

By WalesOnline | November 14, 2013

The parents of spy Gareth Williams whose body was found in a bag rejected police claims yesterday that his death was accidental.

And their lawyer has said he was gagged at the 2012 inquest. Anthony O’Toole told the Daily Mirror there had been a security services cover-up, adding: “My suggestion is that the dark arts were involved.”

The body of MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams, a 31-year-old maths genius, was found inside a padlocked sports holdall in a bath at a central London safehouse in August 2010.

It is believed he had been dead for more than a week.

Yesterday it was claimed that his grieving parents, Ian and Ellen, have been prevented from finding out the truth about how he died.

Mr O’ Toole, the family’s lawyer, revealed yesterday that he was banned from grilling an MI6 agent during the original inquest last year.

He said he was prevented from asking a key question of Mr Williams’ line manager – known only as Agent G – on how secret service officers could have entered his apartment.

Mr O’Toole said: “I was not allowed by the coroner to say to the spook, ‘You know how to get into the flats without keys, don’t you?’ I was told it was contrary to national security.”

He added: “My suggestion is that the dark arts were involved and there was a curious lack of evidence in there, almost like it had been swept clean.”

Mr O’Toole spoke out as Mr Williams’ family rejected a statement from Scotland Yard yesterday stating that his death was “probably an accident”.

The claim, following an 18-month review of the investigation, contradicts the findings of last year’s inquest, which pointed to the likely involvement of a “third party”.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox said in a narrative verdict that she was “satisfied that on the balance of probabilities that Gareth was killed unlawfully”.

His family fear that spies gained access to his apartment and removed crucial evidence before police found the body.

In a statement they said: “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 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.”

They said they were “disappointed” over the failure of MI6 to make inquiries “concerning Gareth’s welfare” when he failed to show up for work.

The family added: “We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer 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 overriding feature of our thoughts following the death of a dear son and brother.”

The initial police inquiry concluded, like the inquest, that someone else was probably present. But in a dramatic U-turn yesterday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: “The Metropolitan Police’s position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.”

But he admitted: “The reality is that for both hypotheses, there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding.”

Mr Hewitt said detectives still could not explain why none of Mr Williams’ DNA was found on the padlock of the holdall or why his palm prints were not on the rim of the bath. They also don’t know why the heating had been left on in the flat despite it being summer.

Up to 15 unidentified DNA samples were recovered from the flat, but there was no positive evidence of a third party being present at the time of death.

Mr Hewitt insisted it was “beyond credibility” that Scotland Yard had been duped by MI6 and GCHQ as part of a cover-up.

He said: “I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death.”

He admitted mistakes had been made during the original inquiry including the failure to access Mr Williams’ MI6 vetting and personnel files for two years.

Express : Family blast MI6 as police say spy died in 'bizarre accident after locking himself in bag'

Family blast MI6 as police say spy died in 'bizarre accident after locking himself in bag'

THE family of body-in-a-bag spy Gareth Williams blasted MI6 chiefs yesterday as a Scotland Yard investigation failed to solve the mystery of his death.

John Twomey | November 14, 2013

Despite extensive inquiries, detectives can only say the codebreaker “probably” died alone in a bizarre accident.But his grieving relatives still believe the 31-year-old fitness fanatic was murdered by an unknown assassin who left his naked body padlocked inside a sports holdall in his bath.They condemned his superiors at the spy agency for failing to raise the alarm until he had been missing for 10 days.By the time his body was discovered, his corpse was already decomposing and it has not been impossible to establish a cause of death.
His family said in a statement: “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.

Her verdict prompted a renewed inquiry by Scotland Yard and a senior detective released the findings yesterday after consulting Mr Williams’s family.

For the first time, murder squad detectives have had direct access to Mr Williams’s vetting and personnel files rather than having to go through a liaison officer from the Yard’s counter-terrorism command.

Since the inquest, officers have interviewed 27 members of MI6 or GCHQ.

There is no suggestion his death is linked to his work.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: “Despite extensive inquiries, no evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth’s death beyond reasonable doubt.”

But he added: “Our view is the most probable scenario is that Gareth was alone when this accident happened.”

Police suspect the spy locked himself into the red North Face holdall - possibly during a lone sex game or as an experiment in escapology - and suffocated when he could not get out.

Scotland Yard said yesterday Coroner Dr Wilcox now accepts that findings of the police and the conclusion that Mr Williams probably died alone by accident.

But there will be no new inquest and her original verdict still stands. Mr Williams’s family has previously said they believe some agency specialising in the “dark arts” is linked to his death.

They said yesterday: “We consider that, on the basis of the facts at present known, the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

A series of vital questions remained yesterday which the Yard investigation has failed to answer.

• If the spy locked himself inside the bag, why is there no trace of his DNA on the padlock?

• If he lowered himself into the bag in the bath, why didn’t he leave his palm prints on the bath rim?

• It is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves inside into such a bag but where is the conclusive evidence that Mr Williams did so?

• Why was the heating switched on in the middle of summer?

• Up to 15 DNA traces found in the modest apartment remain unidentified so who left them?

Mr Hewitt dismissed reports that the flat had been subjected to some kind of “forensic clean” as fingermarks and DNA going back several years have been recovered.

The veteran detective also rejected the idea MI6 had “pulled the wool over his eyes” and said the spy agency had fully co-operated with the Yard.

Mr Williams, who worked for GCHQ and was on secondment to MI6, was deeply interested in women’s fashion and had a collection of women’s designer clothes worth around £15,000 in his flat.

Most of the garments were still in boxes and none of it had been worn. He had taken two college courses in clothing design.

Mr Hewitt said yesterday: “I am satisfied that the existence of the clothing has not direct bearing on the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

Extensive examination of the spy’s phones and laptops failed to shed any light on the mystery.

Inquiries revealed Mr Williams as an intensely private person with few close friends.

But Mr Hewitt said: “The universal view of colleagues was of a conscientious and decent man with a few well known hobbies such as his cycling and climbing.

“There is no evidence of any animosity towards Gareth and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm.” Forensic work to identify the unknown DNA traces is continuing and the Yard says the case will be kept under regular review.

Sydney Morning Herald : 'Spy in a bag': Gareth Williams' family reject accidental death verdict

'Spy in a bag': Gareth Williams' family reject accidental death verdict

Tom Whitehead | The Telegraph, London | November 14, 2013

The family of Gareth Williams, the MI6 spy who was found dead in a locked bag, has rejected a police conclusion that he died in an accident.

Scotland Yard ended its three-year investigation on Wednesday (UK time) into the so-called ‘‘spy in a bag’’ case. It said Mr Williams, 31, probably got into a bag by himself and died when he could not get out.

His family still believe he was murdered and made a fresh attack on his spy masters for failures over his welfare.

The naked, decomposing body of Mr Williams, who was on secondment to MI6, was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, central London, in August 2010.

An inquest last year concluded that he was ‘‘unlawfully killed’’ and put in the bath by another person. These findings have been contradicted by the Metropolitan Police inquiry.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, who led the police investigation, said there was no evidence of third party involvement in the death. But he admitted that no evidence had been able to establish the exact ‘‘circumstances of Gareth’s death’’.

Police have effectively ended their inquires into the case but said they would keep it under review.

A statement issued on behalf of Mr Williams’s parents, Ian and Ellen, and his sister, Ceri Subbe, said: ‘‘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 at present known, the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.’’

Dr Fiona Wilcox, the coroner, last year said the spy was probably ‘‘unlawfully killed’’, largely because none of his DNA was found on the rim of the bath or the padlock.

Mr Hewitt said the police’s ‘‘position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died’’.

The police inquiry concluded it was possible for one person to climb into and lock the bag without assistance.

There was also no evidence of a forced entry or struggle in the flat and suggestions that all DNA and fingerprints had been wiped in a sinister ‘‘deep clean’’ were a ‘‘fallacy’’, Mr Hewitt said.

He said there was no evidence that his death was connected to his work. ‘‘I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death,’’ he added.

The inquest heard that Mr Williams had several items of women’s clothing in his flat, but the coroner said it was because of his interest in fashion.

Mr Hewitt said there was nothing to suggest other reasons, but he confirmed that the spy had visited several bondage websites, a fact that also emerged at the inquest.

‘‘Three years of extensive investigative activity have developed a very clear profile of Gareth,’’ said Mr Hewitt.

‘‘He was, without doubt, a private person who was very close to his family and had few other close friends. That said, the universal view of colleagues was of a conscientious and decent man with a few, well-known hobbies such as his cycling and climbing.

‘‘There is no evidence of any animosity towards Gareth, and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm.’’

Daily Star : Family of MI6 spy say there is no way their son killed himself

Family of MI6 spy say there is no way their son killed himself

THE family of spy in the bag Gareth Williams were furious yesterday as police said he probably killed himself by accident.

By Jimmy McCloskey | November 14, 2013

The MI6 worker’s naked body was found in a padlocked holdall at his London flat in August, 2010.

A coroner ruled Gareth had been unlawfully killed, sparking fears of a plot by spooks.

But the Metropolitan Police yesterday revealed the results of a year-long review and claimed his death was a tragic accident.

Relatives of the 31-year-old spy are furious at the report. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewett said:

“The Metropolitan Police’s position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.”

He said the death was “most probably” an accident.

But he admitted it was impossible “to establish the full circumstances of Gareth’s death beyond all reasonable doubt”.

Yesterday the spy’s family said in a statement: “We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died.

“The fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief.

“We consider that on the basis of the facts the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox last year said theories he had been killed by fellow spies “remained
a legitimate line of inquiry”.

But Commissioner Hewett dismissed claims his officers had been duped by MI6.

He said: “I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death.”

Mirror : Spy-in-the-bag Gareth Williams' lawyer was banned from asking MI6 agent how secret service could have entered his flat

Spy-in-the-bag Gareth Williams' lawyer was banned from asking MI6 agent how secret service could have entered his flat

He revealed that he was banned from grilling the agent during the original inquest last year

November 14, 2013

The bizarre death of MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams has baffled investigators for more than three years.

The 31-year-old maths genius was found inside a padlocked sports holdall in a bath at a Central London safehouse in August 2010.

It is believed he had been dead for more than a week.

And yesterday it was claimed that his grieving parents, Ian and Ellen, have been prevented from finding out the truth about how he died.

The family’s lawyer, Anthony O’Toole, revealed that he was banned from grilling an MI6 agent during the original inquest last year.

He said he was prevented from asking a key question of Mr Williams’ line manager – known only as Agent G – on how secret service officers could have entered his apartment.

Mr O’Toole said: “I was not allowed by the coroner to say to the spook, ‘You know how to get into the flats without keys, don’t you?’ I was told it was contrary to national security.”

He added: “My suggestion is that the dark arts were involved and there was a curious lack of evidence in there, almost like it had been swept clean.”

Mr O’Toole spoke out as Mr Williams’ family rejected a statement from Scotland Yard yesterday stating that his death was “probably an accident”.

The claim, following an 18-month review of the investigation , contradicts the findings of last year’s inquest, which pointed to the likely involvement of a “third party”.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox said in a narrative verdict that the death was “unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated”.

She was “satisfied that on the balance of probabilities that Gareth was killed unlawfully”.

Mr O’Toole fears spies gained access to his apartment and removed crucial evidence before police found the body.

In a statement the family said:“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 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.”

They went on to say they were “disappointed” over the failure of MI6 to make inquiries “concerning Gareth’s welfare” when he failed to show up for work.

The family added: “We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer 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 overriding feature of our thoughts following the death of a dear son and brother.”

The initial police inquiry concluded, like the inquest, that someone else was probably present.

But in a dramatic U-turn yesterday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: “The Metropolitan Police’s position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.”

But he admitted: “The reality is that for both hypotheses, there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding.”

Mr Hewitt said detectives still could not explain why none of Mr Williams’ DNA was found on the padlock of the holdall or why his palm prints were not on the rim of the bath.

They also don’t know why the heating had been left on in the flat despite it being summer.

Up to 15 unidentified DNA samples were recovered from the flat, but there was no positive evidence of a third party being present at the time of death.

Mr Hewitt insisted it was “beyond credibility” that Scotland Yard had been duped by MI6 and GCHQ as part of a cover-up.

He said: “I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death.”

He admitted mistakes had been made during the original inquiry including the failure to access Mr Williams’ MI6 vetting and personnel files for two years.

But during the latest probe officers were given full access to details of Mr Williams’ work, interviewing a total of 27 members of staff from the two agencies as part of their investigation.

Mr Williams, described as mild-mannered and a keen cyclist, had been on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ.

His line manager, Agent G, was severely criticised at the inquest for failing to issue an alert despite the agent not being at work for more than a week. Some believe this would have given the intelligence agencies more than enough time to remove any evidence that could be potentially embarrassing to the state.

Mr Williams’ job was said to involve tracking the flow of money from Russia to Europe. One theory is that he was killed by Russian agents.

Family lawyer Mr O’Toole remains convinced a “third party” was involved in Mr Williams’ death.

He said: “The coroner said there was a third party, there is no doubt about it. The coroner also suggested there was an unlawful killing by a third party.

“There is no doubt there was somebody else there.”

Asked if he believed an intelligence agency went into the flat before police found the body, he said: “The curious thing in cross-examination of spooks was that his line manager went to his flat twice, before it all hit the fan, and merely knocked on the door.

“Now these people by their profession can make entries anywhere, so you would have thought if someone had been missing five days and he was a spy they might have gone into the flat and had a look.”

There was also no physical evidence of any forced entry or any sign that Mr Williams was involved in a struggle.

Another theory is that agents may have returned to the apartment through a skylight to clean up evidence – even while police officers were on guard outside the flat.

Scotland Yard said Mr Williams’ interest in women’s clothing had fuelled speculation over his death. Around £20,000 worth of clothing was found in his flat, including many dresses still in their wrapping.

But the coroner had found these were a “fashion collection” and did not believe they were relevant.

The inquest heard the most likely cause of death was either oxygen depletion or hypercapnia – a build-up of carbon dioxide inside the holdall.

[video here]

Mirror : Spy-in-a-bag Gareth Wyn Williams 'probably died alone in an accident'

Spy-in-a-bag Gareth Wyn Williams 'probably died alone in an accident'

Martin Hewitt, the Met's senior officer investigating the death, said police believe the MI6 codebreaker was not killed

November 13, 2013

The mysterious death of MI6 spy Gareth Wyn Williams was probably an accident, police have said.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt revealed that his team disagree with the conclusion of a coroner last year that the codebreaker was more likely to have been murdered.

He said: "With the conclusion of the investigation, the Metropolitan Police's position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses, there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

The senior officer said the 31-year-old's death was "most probably" an accident, but admitted: "No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt."

Mr Williams, a fitness enthusiast originally from Anglesey, was found in the bag in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on August 23, 2010.

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes if he was alive when he got inside the 32-inch by 19-inch holdall.

None of his DNA was found on the lock on the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

However, Mr Hewitt said there was no evidence that the flat had been "deep-cleaned" to remove forensic traces and nothing to suggest a struggle or a break-in.

A battery of post-mortem tests failed to determine how he died and police originally found it would have been impossible for him to have locked himself inside.

The mathematics genius worked as a cipher and codes expert for GCHQ, the Government listening station, but had been on secondment to the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).

The unusual circumstances surrounding Mr Wyn Williams’ death sparked a painstaking investigation, worldwide media frenzy and several outlandish conspiracy theories.

In a statement, Mr Williams' family said they were "naturally disappointed" by the conclusions of the Met's investigation.

"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 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 enquiries concerning Gareth's welfare when he failed to attend for work on the 16th August, 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 wellbeing remains an overriding 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."

Evening Standard : MI6 Spy in a bag Gareth Williams 'probably locked himself inside it'

MI6 Spy in a bag Gareth Williams 'probably locked himself inside it'

Justin Davenport, Crime Editor | November 13, 2013

The MI6 spy found dead in a bag in his Pimlico flat three years ago probably locked himself inside it, a Met review of the case said today.

Senior officers said they could can find no evidence that the GCHQ codebreaker was a victim of an assassination by the security services or any other third party. The partially-decomposed naked body of Gareth Williams, 31, was found inside the padlocked holdall in his bath in August 2010 sparking a host of theories.

Police will now wind down their inquiry but admitted there was no evidence to establish the exact circumstances of his death “beyond all reasonable doubt”. His family said today they still believe he was killed by a “third party”. It came as police said they now believe that he could have been able to climb into the large North Face bag unaided and lock it from inside.

It follows a new 16-month investigation by murder squad detectives. The findings contradict the conclusions of Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox who ruled last year that Mr Williams was probably “unlawfully killed”.

She concluded that the spy could have been killed by a secret service colleague and pointed to a significant lack of hand or fingerprints around the bath where Mr Williams was found.

Two experts, working for the coroner, tried 400 times to lock themselves into the North Face bag and one claimed even Harry Houdini “would have struggled” to squeeze himself inside.

But days after the inquest a retired Army sergeant showed that it was possible and now police believe it was possible to do so. Mr Williams, a fitness fanatic, had an interest in escapology and confined spaces, visiting little known websites on the internet.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said the police had decided “that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died”.

Mr Hewitt said the family still believed the finding of the coroner that “someone else was involved.” He added: “We are saying that the most probable scenario is that Gareth was alone but I do not have the evidence to close down entirely that someone else was there.”

Mr Hewitt said: “My view is that it was an accident. There is nothing to suggest that Gareth had any intention of taking his own life.” But he admitted there were still “evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding” which prevented detectives from reaching a definitive conclusion.

He said a full investigation had included interviewing 27 Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ colleagues of Mr Williams’s, extensive forensic examinations of the flat, and “digital forensic examination” of phones and computers.

Mr Hewitt said there was no evidence that the top-floor flat in Alderney Street had been the subject of a “forensic clean” by security agents because numerous fingerprints and DNA traces dating back several years had been found. “Such a ‘selective’ clean would not be possible,” he says. However, he admitted there was still no explanation for lack of fingerprints around the rim of the bath.

There was also no physical evidence of any forced entry to the premises, nor any evidence that the spy was involved in a violent struggle. Mr Hewitt said Mr Williams’s interest in women’s clothing had fuelled speculation. Around £20,000 worth of clothing was found in his flat, many of them dresses still in their wrapping.

He said the coroner had found these were a “fashion collection” and he did not believe they were relevant.

He said the coroner had been informed of the findings but had concluded that there was insufficient new evidence to re-open the inquest.

Mr Williams family said in a statement: “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 at present known the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

Mirror : Gareth Williams' family slams MI6 for failing to check welfare of spy-in-a-bag

Gareth Williams' family slams MI6 for failing to check welfare of spy-in-a-bag

The codebreaker's grieving family say more should have been done by MI6 when he failed to show up for work

November 13, 2013

The family of 'spy-in-a-bag' Gareth Williams have hit out at MI6's "lack of concern" for his welfare after a police investigation found his death was most likely an accident.

The 31-year-old codebreaker's body was found locked in a sports holdall in the bathtub of his flat in central London in August 2010.

A coroner initially ruled his death was murder, but a Metropolitan Police investigation found the maths genius probably locked himself inside the bag and died accidentally.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt revealed that his team disagree with the conclusion of a coroner last year that the codebreaker was more likely to have been murdered.

He said: "With the conclusion of the investigation, the Metropolitan Police's position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses, there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

The senior officer said the 31-year-old's death was "most probably" an accident, but admitted: "No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt."

Following the verdict, Mr Williams's family released a statement slamming MI6 for their failure to make "basic inquiries concerning Gareth's welfare".

The statement read: "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 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."

L.A. Times : Death of British spy found in locked gym bag ruled 'accident'

Death of British spy found in locked gym bag ruled 'accident'

By Carol J. Williams | November 13, 2013

Scotland Yard on Wednesday reversed a coroner's finding of foul play in the 2010 death of British spy Gareth Williams, concluding that an accident was likely responsible for the death of the code-breaker whose naked, decomposing body was found stuffed inside a zipped and padlocked gym bag.

London Metropolitan Police investigators had undertaken a review of evidence in the case 16 months ago, after initial restrictions on homicide detectives' access to details of Williams' intelligence work were lifted by the British secret service, MI6.

Deputy Asst. Commissioner Martin Hewitt told journalists in London that investigators only had access to Williams' work files and colleagues after the coroner's conclusion in April 2012 that his death was likely "criminally mediated."

"On balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died," Hewitt said, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The body of the then-31-year-old intelligence operative, who at the time of his August 2010 death was on temporary duty in London from his listening post in Cheltenham, was found in the empty bathtub of his apartment after he failed to show up for work for a week.

In its account of the new cause-of-death report, the Telegraph noted that investigators had been able to interview 27 of Williams' MI6 colleagues and review the cases on which he was working only after the secret service conducted its own confidential probe.

"It is highly unusual for us to be able to go into those organizations and to have open access to personnel files, to vetting files and to all the other aspects of Gareth's work, which we have been given, and which allows us to draw the conclusion that I am convinced that Gareth's death was in no way related to his work either current or previously," Hewitt said.

The deputy commissioner conceded, however, that uncertainties remain and that a definitive ruling on Williams' cause of death may never be reached.

The revised assessment immediately prompted speculation that authorities were attempting to obscure some embarrassing or sensitive issue in the death.

The BBC quoted its internal affairs correspondent as saying the findings that Williams was likely alone when he died as a result of an accident "were likely to fuel theories of a successful cover up by the intelligence agencies."

The Daily Mirror's website posted "10 questions which are still unanswered more than three years after Gareth's death." The mysteries cited included why Williams' MI6 colleagues failed to inquire about his absence from work for a week, how the door to his apartment came to be locked from the outside after his death, whether the heat was turned on in the apartment to accelerate the body's decomposition and preclude certain forensics tests, and why there were no fingerprints found on the bathtub.

Sky News reported that two contortion experts working on the earlier inquest tried 400 times to lock themselves into a similar bag and failed. Shortly after the earlier probe ended, though, an army sergeant was able to demonstrate that it was possible to zip oneself into such a bag from the inside in the cramped position in which Williams' body was found, Sky reported.

Williams' family issued a statement after the revised cause-of-death report, saying the verdict of Medical Examiner Fiona Wilcox more "accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death."

"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," his family stated.

Telegraph : Spy in a bag: family reject police conclusion death was 'tragic accident'

Spy in a bag: family reject police conclusion death was 'tragic accident'

The parents and sister of MI6 spy Gareth Williams still believe he was murdered

By Tom Whitehead | November 13, 2013

The family of MI6 spy Gareth Williams, who was found dead in a locked holdall, have rejected police conclusions that he died in a tragic accident by himself.

The parents and sister of the codebreaker still believe he was murdered and launched a fresh attack on his spy masters for failures over his welfare.

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

An inquest last year concluded he had been “unlawfully killed” and put in the bath by another person.

But following a three-year investigation, Scotland Yard has contradicted the coroner’s findings and concluded Mr Williams most likely got in to the bag himself and died after failing to get out again.

Deptuy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, who led the investigation, said that was the most logical outcome but stressed it may never be known exactly how or why Mr Williams came to die.

Police have now effectively ended their inquires in to the death but said they would keep the case under review.

But a statement issued on behalf of Mr Williams’ family said: “We have, as a family, had the opportunity to consider the investigative update which has been prepared by the Metropolitan Police following the inquest which took place in London in April/May, 2012.

"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 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.”

Mr Hewitt said: “With the conclusion of the investigation, the Metropolitan Police's position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

But Mr Hewitt said the 31-year-old's death was "most probably" an accident, although he admitted: "No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt."

However, Mr Hewitt said there was no evidence that the flat had been "deep-cleaned" to remove forensic traces and nothing to suggest a struggle or a break-in.

Despite an intensive police 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 in to a bag by themselves.

She said his death most likely involved a third party and he was either poisoned or suffocated.

She also said the possibility that a member of the intelligence services was involved in the maths prodigy's death remained a "legitimate line of inquiry" for police.

On behalf of the coroner, two experts tried 400 times to lock themselves into the bag, and one claimed that even Harry Houdini "would have struggled" to squeeze himself inside.

But days after the inquest, a retired Army sergeant showed how it was possible to climb into a similar North Face bag and lock it from the inside.

The renewed investigation saw officers reinterview MI6 officers and take their DNA samples.

The Metropolitan Police announced an urgent review of the case in the wake of the inquest findings, including concerns over how some evidence was handled by MI6 and counter–terrorism officers during a two–year investigation in to the death.

Guardian : MI6 spy found dead in bag probably locked himself inside, Met says

MI6 spy found dead in bag probably locked himself inside, Met says

Three-year investigation by Scotland Yard concludes Gareth Williams probably died as a result of a tragic accident

Josh Halliday | November 13, 2013

The MI6 spy found dead in a bag three years ago probably locked himself in the holdall and died as a result of a tragic accident, Scotland Yard has said.

Outlining the results of a three-year investigation on Wednesday, the Metropolitan police said Gareth Williams most likely died alone in his flat.

But Detective Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said the police could not "fundamentally and beyond doubt" rule out the possibility that a third party was involved in his death.

Williams's naked body was found in the padlocked bag, with the keys discovered under his body, in the otherwise empty bath in his flat in Pimlico, central London, in August 2010.

Last year, a coroner concluded that Williams was probably unlawfully killed and his death the result of a criminal act. Following an eight-day inquest, the Westminster coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, said he was probably either suffocated or poisoned, before a third party locked and placed the bag in the bath.

But Hewitt said Scotland Yard's three-year inquiry had come to a different conclusion and that Williams was "most probably" alone when he died.

"Despite all of this considerable effort, it is still the case that there is insufficient evidence to be definitive on the circumstances that led to Gareth's death," he said.

"Rather, what we are left with is either individual pieces of evidence, or a lack of such evidence, that can logically support one of a number of hypotheses."

Hewitt added that the investigation had added "some clarity and detail" to the case, but that "no evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt".

A forensic examination of Williams's flat, a security service safe house, has concluded that there was no sign of forced entry or DNA that pointed to a third party present at the time of the spy's death.

Scotland Yard's inquiry also found no evidence of Williams's fingerprints on the padlock of the bag or the rim of the bath, which the coroner last year said supported her assertion of "third-party involvement" in the death. Hewitt said it was theoretically possible for Williams to lower himself into the holdall without touching the rim of the bath.

Winding down the lengthy investigation, which has drawn interviews and statements from 27 of Williams's colleagues in MI6 and GCHQ, Hewitt said the death remained a tragedy that would be kept under review by detectives.

In a statement, Williams's family said they were disappointed with the police findings and that they agreed with the coroner's conclusions that he was most likely killed unlawfully. "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," the family said.

"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 [MI6].

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

In a press briefing at Scotland Yard, Hewitt admitted it was "a cause of some regret" that the police were not able to definitively explain the circumstances surrounding the 31-year-old's death.

He rejected suggestions that the security services had "pulled the wool" over his eyes, following concerns over how MI6 and counter-terrorism officers had handled some evidence during the initial investigation. It emerged on Wednesday that police only gained access to Williams's spy agency personnel and vetting files after the coroner's inquest ended last May.

Williams, a maths prodigy and fitness enthusiast originally from Anglesey, was a private person with few other close friends aside from his family, police said. In interviews, MI6 and GCHQ colleagues described him as a "conscientious and decent man" and detectives were unable to identify anyone with any animosity towards him or a motive for causing him harm.

As part of the fresh investigation, a forensic sweep of Williams's flat discovered 10 to 15 unidentified traces of DNA, which are being kept under examination, but none on the North Face holdall or around the bath area of the en suite bathroom of the flat's main bedroom. There was also no evidence of a "deep clean" of the flat to wipe all trace of DNA.

Hewitt said: "There are really three hypotheses that you can use here. One is that Gareth, for whatever reason, got himself into that bag and then was unable to get himself out and died as a result of that.

"One is that Gareth, with someone else, got into the bag consensually, then something went wrong and he died as a result of that. The third is that someone murdered Gareth by putting him in that bag. I would argue that any physical absence [of evidence of] a third party being present tends to make the hypotheses that there is a third party present less likely."

He added: "The coroner drew an inference. I am now drawing a different inference."

At the coroner's inquest, two experts tried 400 times to lock themselves into the 32in by 19in holdall without success, with one remarking that even Harry Houdini "would have struggled" to squeeze himself inside. But days after the inquest, footage emerged of a retired army sergeant climbing into the bag and locking it from the inside.

Hewitt said it was now established that it was theoretically possible for a person to climb into the bag and that it was "more probable" that Williams did this before suffocating as a result of the accident. It emerged during the inquest that Williams had an interest in escapology, but the police said it would be speculation to link his death to a failed attempt to escape from the locked holdall.

BBC : MI6 spy Gareth Williams death 'probably an accident', police say

MI6 spy Gareth Williams death 'probably an accident', police say

November 13, 2013

The death of MI6 spy Gareth Williams, whose body was found in a padlocked sports bag, was probably an accident, police have said.

Last year, a coroner said it was likely Mr Williams, 31, from Anglesey, had been unlawfully killed in August 2010.

But the Metropolitan Police said an evidence review had found "it was more probable" no other person was present when he died in his London flat.

Mr Williams's family said they stood by the coroner's findings.

In a statement, they said: "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 at present known, the coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death."

Bath

Mr Williams's body was found naked at his flat in Pimlico on 23 August 2010 after colleagues raised concerns for his welfare.

He had been on a secondment with MI6 from his job as a communications officer at the GCHQ "listening post" in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Police discovered his body inside a zipped-up red sports holdall, in the empty bath of his bathroom.

It had taken a week for MI6 to investigate the code-breaker's disappearance, and a post-mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist failed to determine the cause of death.

During a seven-day inquest in May 2012, the question of whether Mr Williams could have padlocked himself into a bag in a bath was central.

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes if he had been alive when he got inside it.

None of his DNA was found on the lock attached to the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox concluded that "most of the fundamental questions in relation to how Gareth died remain unanswered".

But she said he was, "on the balance of probabilities", unlawfully killed.

At a briefing on Wednesday, the Met Police announced the conclusion of its three-year investigation into the incident.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said he was satisfied it was "theoretically possible" Mr Williams could have padlocked the bag from the inside, although "many questions remain unanswered" as to the circumstances of his death.

But he said there was no evidence that the MI6 officer had intended to take his own life or that his death was connected to his work.

And he insisted it was "beyond credibility" that he had been misled.

"I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death," he said.

There were about 10 to 15 traces of DNA in the flat from which it had not been possible to gain full DNA profiles, but all other DNA profiles and fingerprints had been eliminated, said DAC Hewitt.

'Endless speculation'

DAC Hewitt also said there was no evidence that Mr Williams' flat had been forensically cleaned, adding it was a "fallacy" that it had been deep-cleaned in such a way that only certain DNA was left in the premises.

The Met Police said they were closing their investigation into the death

He acknowledged that the coroner, having studied "all the evidence available at that stage" had made "the logical inference that it was more likely someone else was involved in Gareth's death".

"However, she also recognised that there has been endless speculation but little real evidence and it was her view [that] 'it is unlikely that his death will ever be satisfactorily explained'," he said.

"Now at the end of our investigation, based on the evidence, or where we have been unable to find positive evidence, we believe that it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses, there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

~~~

Danny Shaw | Home affairs correspondent, BBC News

Scotland Yard's conclusion is not only different to that of the coroner - but also to that of Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire, who led the original inquiry.

After the inquest she said it was "highly likely" a third party was involved in Gareth Williams's death.

So what has changed? There doesn't appear to have been any stunning revelation or startling piece of new evidence.

What has happened is that a re-evaluation of the material and fresh interviews with the MI6 officer's colleagues have led detectives to make different "inferences" from those made before.

The police's new findings are likely to fuel theories of a successful cover up by the intelligence agencies - but DAC Hewitt said it was "beyond credibility" that he, as an experienced investigator, had had the wool pulled over his eyes.

Scotsman : Police not duped by MI6 over ‘spy in bag’ death

Police not duped by MI6 over ‘spy in bag’ death

by MARGARET DAVIS AND JAMES EDGAR | November 13, 2013

Police insisted yesterday they have not been duped by the intelligence services after an investigation starkly contradicted a coroner and found that a spy discovered in a locked holdall probably died alone in an accident.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said it was “beyond credibility” that he had “the wool pulled over my eyes” by MI6 and GCHQ, despite his team reaching entirely different conclusions to coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox, who said that it was likely codebreaker Gareth Williams was unlawfully killed.

Dr Wilcox concluded last year that Mr Williams was probably killed by another person in a “criminally meditated act”.

The 31-year-old was found dead in the locked bag in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on 23 August 2010.

None of his DNA was found on the padlock on the bag and there were no palm prints on the rim of the bath. The heating had been left on in the flat, despite it being summer, and MI6 failed to raise the alarm about his disappearance for more than a week.

Dr Wilcox heard from experts who had repeatedly failed to padlock themselves into bags identical to his. One said Harry Houdini “would have struggled” to pull off the feat.

But a retired army sergeant later showed it was possible to climb into a similar bag and lock it from inside.

Mr Hewitt said: “I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death.

“The Metropolitan Police’s position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.”

However, he admitted: “No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth’s death beyond all reasonable doubt.”

Mr Williams’s family still believe that he was unlawfully killed, and released a statement saying they were disappointed about the lack of conclusions in the case.

They said: “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. “

In May last year at the end of the inquest, Dr Wilcox found that Mr Williams was probably killed and it “remained a legitimate line of inquiry” that the secret services may have been involved in the death.

She said she was sure a third party locked the codebreaker inside the red holdall in which his naked body was found, and that “the cause of his death was unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated”.

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes if he was alive inside the 32in by 19in holdall.

Mr Williams worked for GCHQ but was on secondment to MI6 when he died. Police interviewed 27 members of staff from the two agencies as part of their investigation.

Following the inquest, they looked for a second time at the codebreaker’s personnel and vetting files, but found there was no evidence to support the theory that Gareth’s death was related to his work.

Mr Hewitt said: “I am convinced that Gareth’s death was in no way related to his work, either current or previously.”

S.F. Chronicle : U.K. Spy Found in Locked Bag Died by Accident, Police Say

U.K. Spy Found in Locked Bag Died by Accident, Police Say

Jeremy Hodges| ©2013 Bloomberg News | November 13, 2013

(Updates with statement from his family in ninth paragraph.)

Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. police investigating the death of a U.K. intelligence-agency worker who was found naked and padlocked inside a duffel bag in the bathtub in his apartment, said he wasn’t murdered.

Gareth Williams, 31, was found in August 2010 in his apartment in the Pimlico neighborhood of London. He had been working for MI6, the British overseas intelligence agency, as a code-breaker at the time of his death.

“It is now proven that it is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves in that exact holdall, with the same type of lock,” Martin Hewitt, Detective Assistant Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, said in a press briefing today.

Officers interviewed 27 people from MI6 and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters, known as GCHQ, and concluded that Williams’s death wasn’t connected to his work, Hewitt said.

A London coroner ruled in May 2012 that Williams’s death was “criminally mediated,” stopping short of calling his death an unlawful killing on the grounds that there wasn’t enough evidence.

Hewitt said it’s “a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died,” but “there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding.”

‘Conscientious, Decent’

While there were no fingerprints from Williams on the bathtub and police found unidentified traces of DNA from third parties in the apartment, there was no evidence of forced entry, a violent struggle, or anything to suggest that Williams’s apartment had been cleaned, Hewitt said.

A collection of 15,000 pounds ($24,000) worth of women’s clothing, including shoes and a collection of wigs, that were found in Williams’s apartment had nothing to do with his death, according to police. Williams was a “conscientious and decent man” who liked cycling and climbing, the detective said.

Williams’s family said they were disappointed over MI6’s failure “to take even the most basic inquiries concerning Gareth’s welfare when he failed to attend for work.”

“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,” they said in a statement.

--Editors: Lindsay Fortado, Anthony Aarons

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy Hodges in London at jhodges17@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@bloomberg.net

Seattle Times : British police now say death of ‘spy in a bag’ accidental

British police now say death of ‘spy in a bag’ accidental

More than three years after the naked, decomposing body of British spy Gareth Williams was discovered stuffed inside a locked gym bag at the bottom of his bathtub, the mystery over his bizarre death lingers, and a police investigation has done little to clear it up.

Los Angeles Times and The New York Times | November 13, 2013

LONDON — Scotland Yard on Wednesday reversed a coroner’s finding of foul play in the 2010 death of British spy Gareth Williams, concluding that an accident was likely responsible for the death of the code-breaker whose naked, decomposing body was found stuffed inside a zipped and padlocked gym bag.

London Metropolitan Police investigators had undertaken a review of evidence in the case 16 months ago, after initial restrictions on homicide detectives’ access to details of Williams’ intelligence work were lifted by the British secret service, MI6.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt told journalists in London that investigators only had access to Williams’ work files and colleagues after the coroner’s conclusion in April 2012 that his death was likely “criminally mediated.”

“On balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died,” Hewitt said, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The body of the then-31-year-old intelligence operative, who at the time of his August 2010 death was on temporary duty in London from his listening post in Cheltenham, was found in the empty bathtub of his apartment after he failed to show up for work for a week.

His naked body was curled in a fetal position inside a sports bag in an otherwise empty bathtub. In a twist worthy of a spy movie, the bag was padlocked, but the keys to the lock were inside the bag, beneath the decomposing body.

Williams had evidently led a very private existence, with few close friends. But with its tantalizing glimpse into the secretive world of espionage, the “spy in a bag” case drew intense interest from the news media, which speculated that Williams might have been assassinated, or might have died as an accidental consequence of an interest in escapology or bondage.

Hewitt conceded that uncertainties remain and that a definitive ruling on Williams’ cause of death may never be reached.

The revised assessment immediately prompted speculation that authorities were attempting to obscure some embarrassing or sensitive issue in the death.

The BBC quoted its internal-affairs correspondent as saying the findings that Williams was likely alone when he died as a result of an accident “were likely to fuel theories of a successful cover up by the intelligence agencies.”

The Daily Mirror’s website posted “10 questions which are still unanswered more than three years after Gareth’s death.” The mysteries cited included why Williams’ MI6 colleagues failed to inquire about his absence from work for a week, how the door to his apartment came to be locked from the outside after his death, whether the heat was turned on in the apartment to accelerate the body’s decomposition and preclude certain forensics tests, and why there were no fingerprints found on the bathtub.

Sky News reported that two contortion experts working on the earlier inquest tried 400 times to lock themselves into a similar bag and failed. Shortly after the earlier probe ended, though, an army sergeant was able to demonstrate that it was possible to zip oneself into such a bag from the inside in the cramped position in which Williams’ body was found, Sky reported.

Although the police did not themselves demonstrate that it was possible for a person to lock himself inside a bag, Hewitt said, they saw video footage of this being done.

Why Williams would have done so was not clear. The 2012 coroner’s inquest heard evidence that he had visited websites dedicated to bondage and “claustrophilia,” which involves seeking sexual thrills from being shut in enclosed spaces.

Williams’ family said in a statement Wednesday that they stood by the coroner’s findings — that he was probably the victim of an unlawful killing — rather than those of 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,” the family said. “We consider that, on the basis of the facts at present known, the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

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."

Wales Online : Death of Welsh spy found in holdall 'probably an accident'

Death of Welsh spy found in holdall 'probably an accident'

By WalesOnline | November 13, 2013

Police investigation into death of Anglesey-born spy Gareth Williams finds 'no evidence to establish cause of death beyond reasonable doubt'

Spy Gareth Williams, whose body was found in a holdall, probably died alone in an accident, police have concluded.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt revealed that his team disagree with the conclusion of a coroner last year that the codebreaker was probably killed unlawfully.

He said: "With the conclusion of the investigation, the Metropolitan Police's position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

Reacting to the development, Mr Williams's family said they were "naturally disappointed" and said they still believe he was killed.

But Mr Hewitt said the 31-year-old's death was "most probably" an accident, although he admitted: "No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt."

Mr Williams, a fitness enthusiast originally from Anglesey, was found in the bag in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on August 23, 2010.

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes if he was alive when he got inside the 32-inch by 19-inch holdall.

None of his DNA was found on the lock on the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

However, Mr Hewitt said there was no evidence that the flat had been "deep-cleaned" to remove forensic traces and nothing to suggest a struggle or a break-in.

He said it was "beyond credibility" that the secret services had "pulled the wool" over his eyes.

"I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained 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."

Mr Williams worked for GCHQ but was on secondment to MI6 when he died. Police interviewed a total of 27 members of staff from the two agencies as part of their investigation.

Following the inquest, which finished in May last year, they were also given access for the first time to the codebreaker's personnel and vetting files, but found that there was "no evidence to support the theory that Gareth's death was in any way related to his work".

Mr Hewitt went on: "Three years of extensive investigative activity have developed a very clear profile of Gareth. He was, without doubt, a private person who was very close to his family and had few other close friends. That said, the universal view of colleagues was of a conscientious and decent man with a few well-known hobbies such as his cycling and climbing.

"There is no evidence of any animosity towards Gareth, and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm."

Last year coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox found that he was probably killed and it "remained a legitimate line of inquiry" that the secret services may have been involved in the death.

She said she was sure a third party locked the code-breaker inside the red holdall in which his naked body was found in his bathtub.

Mr Williams would have been unlikely to invite a third party who was not a family member into his home, Dr Wilcox observed, adding: "If a third party was present at the time of his death, in my view that third party would have to have been someone he knew or someone who was there without an invitation."

She warned it was unlikely the mystery would "ever be satisfactorily explained", but added: "The cause of his death was unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated.

"I am therefore satisfied that on the balance of probabilities that Gareth was killed unlawfully."

She highlighted the lack of hand and footprints found in the bathroom, and said if he had been "carrying out some kind of peculiar experiment, he wouldn't care if he left any foot or fingerprints".

Police said that Dr Wilcox has accepted their findings, but decided that there is insufficient new evidence to justify re-opening the inquest.