Showing posts with label Fiona Wilcox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiona Wilcox. Show all posts

Session 15. Wednesday, May 2, 2012

SESSION 15. Wednesday, May 2, 2012
CORONER: Fiona Wilcox
8:45@skynewsgathererLegal submissions have begun in Gareth Williams inquest
8:46@skynewsgathererBarrister for SIS says that an unlawful killing option is not open to coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox
8:47@skynewsgathererCoroner agrees there is insufficient evidence for unlawful killing verdict and says narrative verdict is most suitable option
8:52@skynewsgathererCoroner says she will be making an assessment of reliability and credibility of the evidence
8:56@skynewsgathererCoroner says she will try to deliver before lunch. It could take up to 2 hours as it runs to "many pages"
8:56@stone_skynewsCoroner in Gareth Williams inquest says she cant see any other option for verdict other than narrative or open verdict
8:56@stone_skynewsThe coroner says that an open verdict would not give weight to the considerable evidence heard in the inquest
8:56@stone_skynewsCoroner says there isnt enough evidence to consider a verdict of unlawful killing. Looks like it will be a narrative verdict
8:56@stone_skynewsA narrative verdict is an option open to a coroner when other verdict options don't fit case. It's a short factual statement outlining facts
8:56@stone_skynewsA narrative verdict does leave open the option to include any failures by any party relevant to circumstances of the death
10:18@skynewsgathererVerdict in inquest into death of Gareth Williams will now not be until at least noon
10:21@stone_skynewsBREAKING NEWS - Spy Death: Unlawful killing verdict ruled out. Video analysis here: news.sky.com
10:57@skynewsgathererPolice and family friends taking their seats in coroner's court ahead of narrative verdict into the death of Gareth Williams
11:03@stone_skynewsFor updates on verdict in the Gareth Williams inquest follow my colleague @skynewsgatherer & look back at her fascinating twitter timeline
11:04@skynewsgathererGareth's family have now arrived in court ahead of verdict
11:08@skynewsgathererCoroner Dr Fiona Wilcox begins summing up the evidence in inquest for death of Gareth Williams
11:08@skynewsgathererCoroner says she is unable to include speculation in her narrative verdict or express opinion or criminal liability
11:09@skynewsgatherer"This not a trial this is an enquiry," says Dr Wilcox
11:10@skynewsgathererCoroner can however comment on the "robustness" of the evidence presented before her
11:12@skynewsgathererCoroner decides which evidence she accepts and does not have to accept evidence from an expert - even if it is unchallenged
11:12@skynewsgathererUnlikely that this death will ever be satisfactorily explained, says coroner
11:13@skynewsgathererCoroner says there has been a lot of speculation but little evidence. Fundamental question as to cause of death still unanswered
11:14@skynewsgathererCoroner going through sequence of events which led to Gareth being found in padlocked bag in bath
11:16@skynewsgathererCoroner says following cordon established there was no unauthorised entry by MI6 or SO15 officers or 3rd party
11:17@skynewsgathererCoroner explaining how Supt Michael Broster of SO15 acted as conduit between SIS and murder squad
11:18@skynewsgathererThe fact that no statements taken from MI6 officers affected quality of evidence at inquest says coroner
11:19@skynewsgathererCoroner accepts that MI6 sealed and protected Gareth's possessions at his workplace
11:20@skynewsgathererCoroner outlining chain of command, and reviews of police investigation
11:24@skynewsgathererCoroner says Supt Broster had either disregarded rules for gathering evidence or events were not as given in court
11:25@skynewsgathererBroster told court he seized Gareth's phone from work cabinet, took it back to Scotland Yard the handed it to another officer
11:27@skynewsgathererBag, memory sticks, leave card and keys were not known to either coroner or lead police officer until last TWO days of evidence
11:27@skynewsgathererCoroner says this questions reliability of the evidence
11:28@skynewsgathererCoroner: no evidence that Gareth died at hands of SIS colleague but still a legitimate line of enquiry as Gareth socialised with so few people
11:30@skynewsgathererCoroner: It was not Broster's role to decide on evidence. How could he act as conduit if he didn't pass info on?
11:31@skynewsgathererCoroner says she had considered adjourning verdict for further investigation
11:32@skynewsgathererCoroner now turning to chronology of last days of Gareth's life
11:36@skynewsgathererCoroner says MI6 should not have been allowed to analyse memory sticks and it wouldn't have happened if it was another agency
11:36@skynewsgathererCoroner remarks how clean and tidy Gareth's flat was - and the heating was on in August
11:38@skynewsgathererNo signs of robbery at Gareth's flat, says coroner as she lists items found at flat
11:39@skynewsgathererItems included CDs, bike gear, and 20k of women's high end clothing. No women's underwear
11:40@skynewsgathererBath robe and duvet on floor were "incongruous" with neatly folded clothes on bed, coroner says
11:41@skynewsgathererCoroner describing bag, padlock and the fact that Gareth's body appeared to be peaceful
11:43@skynewsgathererKey that fitted padlock were found in bag, and another on set of keyrings on bedside cabinet
11:44@skynewsgathererNo trace of semen inside or outside bag Gareth's body found in
11:45@skynewsgathererCoroner says fingerprints that were NOT found are more significant. No prints on bath where expected
11:46@skynewsgathererOver 300 house to house enquires made, court told
11:48@skynewsgathererCoroner outlining how extra time & resources were put into looking for 3rd party after mistake was made in logging DNA evidence
11:49@skynewsgathererCoroner says Gareth was extremely intelligent and close to his family, with a sharp sense of humour. Also keen cyclist
11:50@skynewsgathererGareth was fell runner with passion for the mountains, interested in art, fashion, music and Japanese cartoons
11:51@skynewsgathererCoroner says interest in Manga was important piece of evidence and will come back to it
11:52@skynewsgathererGareth was a clearly private person, he had few friends - no friends visited his flat. He was single at time of death, says coroner
11:53@skynewsgathererEven Gareth's friends and family did not know he had been on fashion courses
11:55@skynewsgathererGareth's sister describes him as cautious risk assessor. Which coroner says is difficult to "square" with suggestion of bondage interest
11:56@skynewsgathererIf Gareth had interest in bondage Coroner says that she would have expected more Internet searching
11:57@skynewsgathererCoroner says she finds it "highly unlikely" that Gareth got into the bag as part of bondage
11:58@skynewsgathererIf Gareth had got into bag he would have taken knife in with him because he was a risk assessor, says coroner
12:00@skynewsgathererThere's no evidence of semen to suggest autoeroticism, says coroner. Also no evidence that Gareth was interested in cross dressing
12:00@skynewsgathererMost of women's clothes would have been too small for Gareth and lack of female underwear was "inconsistent"
12:01@skynewsgathererMake up and website browsing was more likely to be have been due his interest in Manga rather than being transvestite
12:03@skynewsgatherer1000 pound boots found at Gareth's flat would have fitted his sister
12:06@skynewsgathererCoroner questions whether leaks to the media about Gareth cross dressing were attempts to manipulate the evidence
12:08@skynewsgathererCoroner now turning to Gareth's state of mind
12:09@skynewsgathererGareth had asked to go back to GCHQ and move was not initiated by MI6. No one who knew him had worries about him
12:10@skynewsgathererNo evidence that Gareth wanted to leave and set up his own business or that he was being followed
12:14@skynewsgathererCoroner says Gareth had "robust" finances. He spent a lot of money on fashion collection but there's no evidence of debt
12:15@skynewsgathererNo evidence of suicide intent, says coroner
12:16@skynewsgathererCoroner says she is half way through her summing up
12:21@skynewsgathererCoroner going through evidence from MI6 workers and the fact it took a week to report Gareth missing
12:23@skynewsgathererCoroner says credibility of evidence difficult to accept - it not very often that MI6 officers are found in such peculiar circumstances
12:25@skynewsgathererWitness G says he had not seen holiday request card despite it being in a shared cupboard
12:26@skynewsgathererCoroner says Witness G had ample evidence to know Gareth was missing as he had failed to turn up at meetings
12:28@skynewsgathererThe fact that Witness G couldn't remember when he last saw Gareth was 'beginning to stretch the bounds of credibility' says coroner
12:32@skynewsgathererNothing was done to try and find Gareth until Aug 20th says corner. Witness G says it was 17th
12:33@skynewsgathererPhone records shows that no calls were made to Gareth's phone on 17th
12:35@skynewsgathererCoroner now turns to whether any evidence of interference with crime scene
12:37@skynewsgathererDCI Sebire had stated that there was no evidence that the bag had been washed and following 23 Aug crime scene was protected
12:37@skynewsgathererCoroner says its pure speculation that flat was entered by someone between 16th and 23rd Aug 2010
12:41@skynewsgathererCoroner says how Gareth's personal risk was not increased after he and team won award for "world class" project
12:42@skynewsgathererGareth had never worked "operationally" overseas and had never been to Afghanistan
12:43@skynewsgathererThere was no reason to think Gareth's death was connected to his work, says coroner
12:44@skynewsgatherer"Once more, lots of speculation and no evidence," says coroner
12:45@skynewsgathererGareth's body had minor unexplained injuries says coroner. No evidence of strangulation or defensive injuries
12:46@skynewsgathererPathologists agreed that although cause of death was unascertained only 2 possibilities. Suffocation or poisoning
12:46@skynewsgathererCoroner says she accepts that cause of death was unnatural
12:48@skynewsgathererCoroner says it is possible Gareth entered bag voluntarily outside bathroom and moved - but she says unlikely
12:49@skynewsgathererGrazes on elbows could have been caused by attempt by Gareth to reach the lock - however no evidence that he tried to escape
12:50@skynewsgatherer"On balance more likely that Gareth entered the bag alive & died soon afterwards either by hypercapnia or effects of unknown poison"
12:51@skynewsgathererCoroner says she cannot be sure death was unlawful
12:53@skynewsgatherer(Hypercapnia is too much carbon dioxide in blood)
12:54@skynewsgathererCoroner turns to bag expert evidence. Inquest heard from 2 people who tried to lock themselves into similar XL North Face holdall
12:58@skynewsgathererCororer: Either Gareth got in bag and moved to bath by 3rd party or was put in bag by 3rd party
12:59@skynewsgathererCoroner says that she is satisfied that 3rd party moved bag containing Gareth into the bath
13:00@skynewsgathererPoisoning remains a possibility as to how Gareth died says Coroner
13:01@skynewsgathererIt's remotely possible that Gareth was found dead in bag and moved - but why would 3rd party clean up if not involved, asks coroner
13:02@skynewsgathererHow did bag get in bath? It didn't levitate there. Why would the heating be on during a hot time of the year? Asks coroner
13:03@skynewsgathererCoroner says she had not seen any evidence of motive or direct causation of death. Or who 3rd party might be
13:04@skynewsgathererCoroner cannot return unlawful killing as she cannot be sure. She also discounts all other short term verdicts and chooses narrative verdict
13:05@skynewsgathererCoroner says wiped phone also raises questions as to whether it was used to arrange meeting
13:06@skynewsgathererCoroner says that on balance of probabilities Gareth was killed unlawfully
13:07@skynewsgathererCause of Gareth's death was unnatural and likely to have been "criminal" says coroner
13:08@skynewsgathererCoroner says Gareth's death was "criminally mediated"
13:10@skynewsgathererCoroner concludes by thanking barristers and DCI Jackie Sebire, officer in charge of case
13:10@skynewsgathererCoroner also passes sympathy to Gareth's family. "Nothing can be said to bring your son back to you," she says
13:12@skynewsgathererCoroner says death was criminally mediated - as yet death not treated as murder by Met, but as suspicious
13:28@skynewsgathererPhotographers waiting for statement from Gareth Williams family
13:40@skynewsgathererMI6 chief apologises "unreservedly" to Mr Williams's family over way inquiry hampered by his colleagues failing to react
13:44@skynewsgathererFamily statement on @SkyNews
13:45@skynewsgathererFamily disappointed in failures by MI6 to make possible evidence available to police
13:46@skynewsgathererFamily thank DCI Jackie Sebire. Say they miss Gareth every single day
13:54@skynewsgathererDCI Jackie Sebire says police now chasing new lines of enquiry raised during inquest
16:01@skynewsgathererAwaiting statement at New Scotland Yard for Met Police response to criticisms arising from Gareth Williams inquest
16:05@skynewsgathererStatement expected any minute from Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt. It will be on @SkyNews
16:08@skynewsgathererMet: review launched into exhibit handling in Gareth Williams investigation
16:40@skynewsgathererPolice appeal for anyone with info relating to death of Gareth Williams to call incident room on 0208 358 0200 or crimestoppers
END OF SESSION 15. Wednesday Morning/Afternoon, May 2, 2012

Link to source of May 2 coverage
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