| SESSION 8. Thursday Afternoon, April 26, 2012 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 13:13 | @skynewsgatherer | Coroner is dealing with a couple of other inquests before continuing with investigation into death of Gareth Williams |
| 13:17 | @skynewsgatherer | Stephen Gale now called to give evidence in Gareth Williams inquest |
| WITNESS: Stephen Gale | ||
| 13:18 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale is retired GCHQ officer. He was director of strategy who liaised with Whitehall and looked after HR and personal security |
| 13:20 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale says he had no personal connection to Gareth and is here to represent GCHQ |
| 13:25 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth had attended two 'Black Hat' technical security conferences in Las Vegas in August 2008 and July 2010, inquest hears |
| 13:26 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale says he doesn't know whether members of criminal fraternity also attend the security conferences |
| 13:27 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gales says the conferences are still deemed as low risk. The same as working in the UK |
| 13:29 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gales says Gareth returned to UK on Aug 11th and visited London office on Thursday 12th |
| 13:30 | @stone_skynews | Detail now on conference in Las Vegas which Gareth Williams attended 2 weeks before he was found dead |
| 13:30 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth was given secondment to SIS in late 2008 after his first application in 2007 was turned down |
| 13:32 | @stone_skynews | Inquest hearing now from Stephen Gale, retired GCHQ officer, was Director of Strategy, liaised w/ Whitehall, dealt with personal security |
| 13:32 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth won two awards during his career. One posthumously in 2010 for technical work |
| 13:34 | @skynewsgatherer | The other for work done in 2009 which was for a particular programme described as a 'Herculean effort for an extraordinary team' |
| 13:34 | @stone_skynews | Inquest hears that Gareth Williams team won an award for "a Herculean effort by an extraordinary team" in cryptology. A very bright man |
| 13:36 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth was a GC10 which is graduate entry grade. He quickly progressed to GC9. The post at SIS was GC8. He got an 11% increase in pay |
| 13:37 | @skynewsgatherer | Gale says that GCHQ paid for the rent on Gareth's flat as part of the deal in moving to London |
| 13:37 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale says that the 20k of women's clothes would have taken up a large chunk of salary even for someone with no rent or car to pay for |
| 13:45 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale confirms that leave is agreed verbally with boss and then formalised on card for HR records |
| 13:50 | @skynewsgatherer | GCHQ confirms it pays accommodation but allows staff to choose it. It recommends that they use approved lettings agency |
| 13:51 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth's flat was rented under same terms as other staff. It was chosen by him. GCHQ does not chose or inspect accommodation |
| 13:52 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale confirms that Gareth's flat was not a safe house |
| 13:56 | @skynewsgatherer | From pervious job ads looks like a GC08 grade GCHQ worker gets just under 40k a year. Gareth spent 20k on women's clothes |
| 14:02 | @skynewsgatherer | Witness confirms that GCHQ did not conduct any investigations into death and said it was a matter for the police |
| 14:17 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale confirms there were no leaks to the media following Gareth's death from GCHQ |
| 14:17 | @skynewsgatherer | No investigation was carried out by GCHQ about possible leaks to the media, Mr Gale |
| 14:20 | @skynewsgatherer | Mr Gale has finished his evidence. Next up is Denise Stanworth, a toxicologist |
| WITNESS: Denise Stanworth | ||
| 14:22 | @skynewsgatherer | Ms Stanworth is a forensic scientist from private firm LGC, she looked at blood, liver and body fluid samples |
| 14:23 | @skynewsgatherer | Court hears how Gareth's hair was also examined for any drug use before his death - it tested negative |
| 14:25 | @skynewsgatherer | Inquest hears how 'extensive' analysis was done on Gareth including tests for poison |
| 14:25 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth's blood contained alcohol and GHB |
| 14:27 | @skynewsgatherer | Alcohol level was 78/100ml, which is consistent with the body having produced it. Inquest hears |
| 14:29 | @skynewsgatherer | The drug GHB was also found in Gareth's urine |
| 14:31 | @skynewsgatherer | GHB in blood could have naturally occurred after death. Had it been taken before death scientist thinks levels would be higher |
| 14:33 | @skynewsgatherer | 'Ingestion of GHB cannot be ruled out but I think it would be unlikely,' says witness |
| 14:37 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth also had low levels of codeine in blood but scientist says he would not have been under any influence of painkiller |
| 14:39 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth's body was tested for cyanide and a range of other poisons - all negative |
| 14:43 | @skynewsgatherer | Scientist can't rule out certain drugs being used given Gareth may have been dead for 9 days before PM examination |
| 14:45 | @skynewsgatherer | Scientist says she can't rule out use of 'poppers' because of amount of time passed before tests |
| 14:53 | @skynewsgatherer | Scientist says toxicology for volatile drugs after 9 days is 'not that reliable'. Would be reliable for some drugs though |
| 14:54 | @skynewsgatherer | Scientist says the use of an unusual poison cannot be ruled out but is unlikely |
| 14:56 | @skynewsgatherer | Family lawyer now questioning forensic scientist |
| 14:59 | @skynewsgatherer | Inquest hears that being in the bag, with the heating on in August, would have accelerated decomposition |
| 15:31 | @skynewsgatherer | Inquest resumes. Next will be read statement of Dr Jennifer Miller, a stomach contents analysis |
| STATEMENT FROM: Jennifer Miller | ||
| 15:35 | @skynewsgatherer | Scientist suggests Gareth ate the peppered steak he had bought before he died |
| 15:37 | @skynewsgatherer | Gareth was likely to have died between 3 to 5 hours after he ate the steak |
| 15:46 | @skynewsgatherer | End of today's evidence in the inquest. Tomorrow we expect to hear from a 'bag expert' and possibly DNA experts |
| END OF SESSION 8. Thursday Afternoon, April 26, 2012 | ||
Link to source of April 26 coverage
