Session 5. Wednesday Morning, April 25, 2012

SESSION 5. Wednesday Morning, April 25, 2012
10:34@skynewsgathererInquest into death of MI6 code breaker Gareth Williams continues for 3rd day. Am there with @Stone_SkyNews
10:34@skynewsgathererAll SO15 officers who worked on the Gareth Williams case had six months of vetting to enable them to work with security services
10:34@skynewsgathererCoronor rules that the Met Police released photos of crime scene not exhibited during inquest
10:35@skynewsgathererGareth Williams inquest expected to hear from another friend and colleagues of code breaker
10:35@skynewsgathererElizabeth Guthrie called to give evidence. She was a friend of Gareth Williams
WITNESS: Elizabeth Guthrie
10:35@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie first met Gareth when she was sharing a flat with his friend Sian Jones, who gave evidence yesterday
10:35@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie became friends in their own right and as neither liked going out they would stay in and play video games
10:35@skynewsgathererThe pair shared a interest in Manga. They had been intended to go to an expo dressed in bright wigs
10:35@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie says she heard Gareth had been on design course and says it could have been to learn to make Manga costumes
10:35@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie says the women's clothes found at Gareth's flat would not have been for him
10:35@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie says clothes could have been 'support strategy for someone else'
10:35@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie never visited Gareth's flat and was never invited to it
10:36@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie says that Gareth never discussed any details of his work with her
10:36@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie says that if Gareth had concerns he would have shared them with her or his sister
10:36@skynewsgathererGareth drank alcohol at friend's flat but never out. He frowned on drug taking
10:36@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie says her view was that Gareth was straight, not gay, and had no interest in cross dressing
10:36@skynewsgatherer'We were going to a fancy dress party but he was going as a ninja not a queen' Ms Guthrie tells inquest
10:36@skynewsgathererGuthrie: 'Gareth being as private as he was, for someone being brought back would have been of note. He would have told his family.'
10:36@skynewsgathererGareth told Ms Guthrie that he worked for the Home Office. But she 'connected the dots'
10:36@skynewsgathererMs Guthrie asked by family lawyer if she knew that Gareth sometimes used another name. She replies yes - coroner asks for it to 'stop there'
10:36@skynewsgathererNext witness is Supt Michael Broster
WITNESS: Michael Broster
10:36@skynewsgathererSO15 were also first to examine any USB sticks, phones etc, to make sure they didn't have sensitive info about SIS work on them
10:36@skynewsgathererInquest hears that SO15 found no links between Gareth's work and his death
10:36@skynewsgathererSO15 acted as a go between SIS and murder squad. Broster says this did not hamper investigation but admits it caused a delay
10:36@skynewsgathererNo witness statements were taken from SIS or GCHQ
10:36@skynewsgathererIn line with security policy no sensitive material was found on laptop etc in Gareth's flat
10:36@skynewsgathererLawyer acting for Gareth Williams is challenging decision not to take any statements from intelligence services staff
10:36@skynewsgathererSupt Broster also being asked how he could be sure electronic items had not been tampered with by SIS before he analysed them
10:36@skynewsgathererFamily lawyer comparing enquiry to other criminal cases where there is a statement confirming how evidence is protected. None in this case
10:36@skynewsgathererFamily lawyer describes it as an 'old boys act' where SIS says there has been no tampering and SO15 accept their word
10:36@skynewsgathererSupt Broster says he has no reason to suspect that electronic items were interfered with
10:36@skynewsgathererSupt Broster says that he doesn't know how the media found out that Gareth Williams had visited bondage websites
10:37@skynewsgathererSupt Broster says he was doing as requested by DCI Sebire but at the same time he was doing his own investigation
10:37@skynewsgathererInquest adjourned for 15 mins
STATEMENT FROM: a police officer who was on duty the night Gareth was found
10:38@skynewsgathererInquest will now hear read statements of 8 witnesses. The first a police officer who was on duty on night Gareth Williams was found
STATEMENT FROM: Jennifer Elliot
10:41@skynewsgathererNext statement is from Jennifer Elliot who rented flat to Gareth Williams near GCHQ. He lived there for 10 years
10:43@skynewsgathererShe described Gareth as 'lovely polite young man'. Gareth had said he was returning to flat in Sept 2010
10:47@skynewsgatherer3 years before his death Mrs Elliot heard Gareth shouting for help - she found him tied up to his bed
10:48@skynewsgathererLandlady says Gareth was wearing just his underpants and explained his situation by saying he just wanted to see if he could escape
10:48@stone_skynewsStatement from Gareth Williams old landlord reveals that he was once found tied up on his bed. Claimed he wanted to see if he could get free
10:50@stone_skynewsLandlady says she and her husband thought the situation was more sexual than escapology
10:51@skynewsgathererLandlady says Gareth Williams had offered to pay more rent after she and husband were forced to untie him from bed. She declined
STATEMENT FROM: Carol Kirton
11:04@skynewsgathererNext statement is from Carol Kirton who sold Gareth Williams a £1000 pair of shoes which he told her was for his girlfriend
11:07@skynewsgathererMs Kirton says all items bought by Gareth Williams were high end fashion and would compliment each other
STATEMENT FROM: Cheryl Eastap
11:08@skynewsgathererTutor at fashion course attended by Gareth Williams says Gareth was a quiet man, very polite and had a slight stutter
11:11@skynewsgathererCheryl Eastap, fashion tutor, said Gareth was very nervous man, continually made apologies, a loner, he didn't mix with other students
11:13@skynewsgathererFinal read statement is from Magdalena Kolakowska. She worked at cake shop
STATEMENT FROM: Magdalena Kolakowska
11:16@skynewsgathererGareth Williams would visit Patisserie Valerie two or three times a week. She said she had seen Gareth talking to woman
11:18@skynewsgathererInquest now adjourned until 1.25pm so that screens can be put up to hide identity of witnesses K, F and G
11:58@stone_skynewsGCHQ codebreaker Gareth Williams was once found tied to bed by landlady inquest hears
END OF SESSION 5. Wednesday Morning, April 25, 2012

Link to source of April 25 coverage
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