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