Session 11. Monday Morning, April 30, 2012

SESSION 11. Monday Morning, April 30, 2012
9:04	@skynewsgatherer	Gareth's body was removed from the bottom of the bag - not via the zipped opening
9:05	@skynewsgatherer	Two hairs were found on Gareth's thumb
9:08	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Swift says that if someone was already dead when moved there would be no bruising
WITNESS: Benjamin Swift
9:09	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Swift says that in cases of smothering there are often no marks left
9:11	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Swift found a 0.6cm bruise to left forearm, graze to left elbow and 0.7 graze to right elbow, and inner left eye socket
9:12	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Swift says injuries likely to have been caused after death due to position in the bag
9:14	@skynewsgatherer	No injuries in Gareth's neck, or head, there were 3 internal bruises to loin, elbow and right chest wall. No bruising around wrists
9:17	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Swift says injuries could have been caused accidentally. No signs of obvious poisoning
9:18	@skynewsgatherer	No obvious signs of natural disease
9:19	@skynewsgatherer	Pathologist: No significant traumatic injury, no injuries of offensive or defence nature, no sexual assault
9:20	@skynewsgatherer	Pathologist Dr Swift could not confirm cause of death
9:21	@skynewsgatherer	Pathologist tells coroner there we no signs from Gareth's finger tips that he tried to get out the bag
9:23	@skynewsgatherer	Cause of death could not be ascertained due to decomposition of Gareth's body, pathologist says
9:26	@skynewsgatherer	Family lawyer now asking questions about how decomposition affected results of PM. Inquest hears how the heating was on in August
9:27	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Swift refuses to speculate on what might have caused Gareth's death
9:29	@skynewsgatherer	When pushed Dr says asphyxiation and poison were two 'foremost contenders' to be most likely cause of death
9:33	@skynewsgatherer	Experienced pathologist Dr Ian Calder performed 2nd PM
WITNESS: Ian Calder
9:35	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Calder says he agrees with Dr Swift that if Gareth had been moved after death he wouldn't have sustained bruises
9:36	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Calder agrees that cause of death was 'unascertained'
9:40	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Calder explains that it's not so much the lack of oxygen in bag - but the build up of carbon dioxide
9:42	@skynewsgatherer	CO2 makes people confused which would make someone 'fade away with no pain and increasing lack of awareness of environment' says witness
9:46	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Calder says 'very likely' cause of death was hypercapnia (too much carbon dioxide in blood)
9:54	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Richard Shepherd, acting for the coroner, now giving evidence. He agrees with other 2 pathologists
WITNESS: Richard Shepherd
9:55	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Shepherd found no patterns of injuries and no restraining injuries
9:56	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Shepherd says it would have been 'extremely difficult' to place a newly dead body into the bag
9:57	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Shepherd says a person 'playing dead' is not same as an actual dead body. His experience is that it would be 'very difficult process'
9:58	@skynewsgatherer	Dr says that if Gareth was alive going in bag he would have expected some 'gripping injuries'
9:59	@skynewsgatherer	Dr says it's more likely that Gareth was alive when he entered the bag than dead
10:01	@skynewsgatherer	Dr agrees 'mode of dying' was most likely carbon dioxide
10:03	@skynewsgatherer	Dr says two possibilities of cause of death were suffocation or poisoning
10:05	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest hears that although cause of death is unascertained Gareth's death is 'unnatural'
10:09	@stone_skynews	Pathologist says in his opinion Gareth Williams death was unnatural and caused either by poisoning or suffocation because of too much CO2
10:09	@skynewsgatherer	Dr Shepherd says it is possible that Gareth voluntarily got into the bag
10:11	@skynewsgatherer	Dr: Gareth would probably have been aware oxygen was running out but not known at what stage this would happen
10:13	@skynewsgatherer	Pathologist suggesting Gareth would have known air was running out but he may already have been too affected by Co2 to do anything about it
10:16	@skynewsgatherer	To sum up - on balance of probability Gareth was alive getting into bag and would have had some awareness, says witness
10:17	@skynewsgatherer	On balance of probability the mode of dying was hypercapnia but cause of death unascertained
10:25	@skynewsgatherer	Pathologists says the youngest & fittest can survive hypercapnia the longest
10:26	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest taking short break. Then will hear from forensic scientists on DNA evidence
10:58	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest resumes with evidence from coroner officer's Barry May
WITNESS: Barry May
10:59	@skynewsgatherer	Mr May was asked to investigate by previous coroner after family raised concerns about 2nd PM examination
11:02	@skynewsgatherer	Request for 2nd independent PM didn't follow protocol due to inexperience of a worker the coroner's office
11:07	@skynewsgatherer	Police, family and first pathologist weren't told of 2nd examination when they should have been
11:12	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest told of 'communication breakdown' in the former coroner's office in regard to 2nd PM examination
11:16	@skynewsgatherer	Statement now from Tony Larkin, a scientist from forensic firm LGC. He looked of bloodstains, DNA and hairs
WITNESS: Tony Larkin
11:19	@skynewsgatherer	Mr Larkin found a spot of blood near lights switch and an 'aged' spot of blood on the floor
11:23	@skynewsgatherer	Mr Larkin says possible bloodstain on bag - but very weak result
11:24	@skynewsgatherer	Also weak blood spot on the padlock
11:26	@skynewsgatherer	Mr Larkin actually works for Met Police - witness list was incorrect
11:36	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest hears that an error in logging DNA means that Gareth's family thought there was evidence of 3rd party
11:37	@skynewsgatherer	DNA was actually from another scientist - error was only found when case was reviewed
11:41	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest now adjourned until 2pm
END OF SESSION 11. Monday Morning, April 30, 2012

Link to source of April 30 coverage

Session 1. Monday Morning, April 23, 2012

SESSION 1. Monday Morning, April 23, 2012
CORONER: Fiona Wilcox
9:27	@skynewsgatherer	Coroner resumes inquest into death of MI6 code breaker Gareth Williams
9:28	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner expresses sympathy to family and says they are still grieving
9:28	@skynewsgatherer	Coroner Fiona Wilcox allows tweeting - just as long it doesn't cause distraction
9:30	@skymartinbrunt	family lawyer says happy to have Mr Williams referred to as Gareth
9:31	@skynewsgatherer	Coroner outlining her role and how evidence will be submitted and tested
9:31	@skynewsgatherer	No evidence will be taken in closed hearing says coroner
9:31	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says four questions to be answered....who died where when and how
9:32	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says it was highly controversial death
9:33	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says there will be no evidence in secret
9:33	@skynewsgatherer	Due to nature of Gareth Williams work - some witnesses will be giving evidence anonymously
9:34	@skymartinbrunt	some identities will be hidden
9:36	@skymartinbrunt	Family don't oppose anonymity of some witnesses says coroner
9:36	@skynewsgatherer	Three witnesses - named only as K, F and G, will give evidence from behind a screen
9:38	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner giving judgement on application for anonymity of some witnesses
9:39	@skymartinbrunt	Application for witness anonymity signed by Foreign Secretary William Hague
9:40	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says she has to consider risks to national security
9:41	@skymartinbrunt	Anonymity granted to three witnesses
9:42	@skymartinbrunt	Risk of harm to national security outweighs public interest says coroner
9:45	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says some evidence will be excluded because of real risk to. national security and international relations
9:46	@skymartinbrunt	Excluded evidence is of only marginal significance to inquest says coroner
9:48	@skynewsgatherer	Media lawyer now addressing the court. She represents main broadcasters and five newspapers
9:50	@skymartinbrunt	Media lawyer says death raises many issues about work of intel services
9:53	@skymartinbrunt	Media lawyer asking for release of exhibits and documents when they are shown to the inquest
9:55	@skynewsgatherer	Lawyer argues that exhibits must be released to media to allow information to be reported to wider public
10:24	@skynewsgatherer	Barrister representing media at Gareth Williams inquest has finished her submission to allow release of exhibits
10:32	@skymartinbrunt	Met Police barrister says the difficult and sensitive case may result in criminal proceedings as he argues over release of docs
10:43	@skynewsgatherer	Met Police lawyer says there has to be a balance between open justice on one hand and active investigation on the other
10:47	@skymartinbrunt	Forensic scientist who demonstrated getting into a sports hold all does not want video released to media after shown in court
10:49	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says video was made to avoid live court demonstration which would be "ridiculous."
10:51	@skymartinbrunt	The bag expert does not want his identity shown in media
10:53	@skynewsgatherer	Dolce and Gabbana have objected to CCTV of Gareth Williams in their shop being released to the media
10:58	@skynewsgatherer	Officer who demonstrated how Gareth Williams could have locked himself into a hold all has asked for video not to be released
11:02	@skymartinbrunt	Family worried about public release of reconstruction video which would be upsetting
11:06	@skymartinbrunt	Family don't want anything published "to impede somebody hopefully being brought to account."
11:09	@skymartinbrunt	Family insist no images to be released of Mr Williams after his death and acknowledges media haven't asked for them
11:15	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says bag reconstruction is expert evidence of what might have happened if Me Williams was alone
11:21	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says in principle all video and docs will be released to media, but she will have final say in each case in disputes
11:23	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner taking 5 min break to consider media release of exhibits. Evidence shld begin after that
11:38	@skynewsgatherer	Coronor rules that exhibits can be released to the media providing there are no objections
11:38	@skymartinbrunt	Coroner says all docs will be released unless disputed and she will make a decision
11:39	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest into death of Gareth Williams finally getting underway after lengthy legal proceedings
WITNESS: Barry May
11:41	@skynewsgatherer	Coroner's office manager Barry May tells court Gareth Williams was found dead in padlocked hold all in the bath
11:43	@skynewsgatherer	Statement from sister Ceri Subbe now being read to inquest. Gareth was cycling fan and a fell runner. He loved mountains
STATEMENT FROM: Ceri Subbe
11:45	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest hearing how Gareth loved cinema and 'adored' music. He also liked fashion and had attended two courses
11:46	@skynewsgatherer	Sister describes Gareth as 'perfect big brother'. The family was very close and time together was 'cherished'
11:47	@skynewsgatherer	His sister thought Gareth was enjoying London but after a while he began to miss the countryside and requested a move back to Cheltenham
11:49	@skynewsgatherer	Gareth told his sister of 'friction' in the London office and that he was not enjoying the 'rat race'
11:51	@skynewsgatherer	Sister of Gareth Williams says in statement it is impossible to do justice to his wonderful character without having met him
11:53	@skynewsgatherer	The last time Ceri Subbe met her brother they had a great day out and tea at The Ritz. He seemed happy with life
11:54	@skynewsgatherer	Gareth Williams is described as a private person, who enjoyed the countryside rather than the city. He was single when he died
11:56	@skynewsgatherer	The last time Ceri Subbe spoke to her brother was on the phone on August 13 2010 - he was going to a comedy night
11:56	@skymartinbrunt	Sister Ceri Says family can't think why anybody wld harm him
11:58	@skynewsgatherer	Ceri Subbe says her brother was a very tidy person. He did not tell his family what he did for a job
12:00	@skynewsgatherer	Ceri Subbe is now giving evidence to the coroner in person about her brother Gareth Williams
12:01	@skynewsgatherer	Mrs Subbe says Gareth had spoken for sometime about wanting to move back to Cheltenham
12:02	@skymartinbrunt	Sister Ceri tells inquest Gareth wanted to leave London and go back to GCHQ
12:02	@skynewsgatherer	Mrs Subbe said the job was not what Gareth had expected. There was more red tape than he was happy with, court told
12:03	@skynewsgatherer	The family had no concerns about Gareth's state of mind. Sister describes him as 'upbeat'
12:04	@skymartinbrunt	Ceri says he was never worried about being followed or threatened
12:04	@skynewsgatherer	Sister says she had no knowledge that her brother had been threatened in any way
12:05	@skynewsgatherer	Sister says she did not know Gareth had 20k worth of women's clothes in his flat. But says she's not surprised. They could have been gifts
12:06	@skymartinbrunt	Ceri didn't know about extensive collection of women's clothes
12:08	@skymartinbrunt	Sister says his big collection of clothes mirrored big collections of bike and mountain climbing gear
12:10	@skynewsgatherer	Court hears that on 16 August Gareth missed a meeting he was due to chair. He was usually very reliable
12:11	@skymartinbrunt	Sister Ceri said women's clothes could have been for gifts. He was very generous
12:16	@skynewsgatherer	Inquest into death of Gareth Williams adjourned for lunch. Resumes at 1415
END OF SESSION 1. Monday Morning, April 23, 2012

[Link to source of April 23 coverage]