‘Spy in the Bag’ death riddle ‘stinks of cover-up’ says ex-agent who questions key detail of MI6’s ‘appalling’ response

THE mystery surrounding a naked spy whose body was found decomposing inside a padlocked sports holdall had gripped the nation for nearly 15 years. 

But now a former MI5 intelligence officer has claimed the case “stinks of a cover-up” from the Secret Service in a new documentary. 

A number of wild theories emerged after MI6 agent Gareth Williams was discovered by police conducting a well-being check at his flat, in Pimlico, London, back in 2010.

Some claimed he died in a sex game gone wrong, while others believed he was assassinated by Russian spies after uncovering a mole.

The death of the talented mathematician and codebreaker, 31, was ruled to be “unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated” at his 2012 inquest. 

But the Metropolitan Police closed their investigation, believing Gareth died after suffocating inside the holdall, and a forensic review this year found no further DNA or other evidence that could indicate anyone else was involved.

Now a new Channel 5 documentary The Spy in the Bag: New Revelations, which airs on Tuesday, reanalyses the case and has raised a series of questions around the mysterious death. 

They include the alleged lack of cooperation from MI6 during the police’s investigation and what was deemed as unusual behaviour from the group – including a sensational claim from a high-ranking figure from the British Secret Service.

Former MI5 intelligence officer Annie Machon tells the documentary: “Everything about this case absolutely stinks of a cover-up.”

She cited them refusing to allow Gareth’s colleagues to be interviewed by police and not disclosing details from nine personal memory sticks found inside their headquarters. 

Another point of contention for Annie was that it took seven days for the Secret Service to report their employee missing to the police and the fact that they only did so five hours after a distressed call from the victim’s sister to GCHQ. 

She told the documentary: “In terms of Gareth Williams’ absence for a week before it was noticed he was not coming into MI6, I think that’s appalling. 

“I remember working at MI5. If you didn’t come in for one day they would get panicked and say ‘What’s happened, has something awful happened?’”

Her concerns were echoed by others including former MI6 intelligence officer Matthew Dunne, who said it was “very surprising nothing happened for a full week, unless it was a complete lapse”.

He added: “Alarm bells should have been ringing to the extent that, on day one of him not turning up, calls should have been made. There is a series of protocols that follow through in that instance.” 

At the inquest, three intelligence officers were summoned to give evidence – including Gareth’s manager, known only as ‘witness G’, who admitted regret over not raising the alarm sooner.

The boss said his employee had never missed a day of work but excused his absence on him being ‘stuck on a train’, adding: “In hindsight, knowing what I know now, should I have taken action? Absolutely.”

‘Houdini would struggle’

When officers walked into Gareth’s flat they were hit by an overwhelming heat. Despite it being a warm August day, the central heating had been left on full blast.

Moments later, police discovered a red North Face bag which had been padlocked from the outside, in the bathroom. 

A seeping red liquid was oozing from the holdall and after cutting it open investigators smelled the “overpowering stench of decomposing flesh”.

Gareth’s naked body was found inside and the key to the padlock was underneath his right buttock.   

Many questions have been raised about how the maths prodigy, who was 5ft 7in (180cm), managed to squeeze into a bag that was only 81cm long by 48cm wide.  

If this had been a mad, auto-erotic adventure, he would have taken a pen knife or something like that with him as he got into the bag. None of that was there

Professor Anthony Glees

Forensic Search and Rescue Specialist Peter Faulding attempted to squeeze himself into a holdall of the same make 300 times and failed, admitting it was “very, very difficult” to do.

He said: “I couldn’t say it’s impossible but I think even Houdini would have struggled with this one.”

‘No trace’

Peter was also suspicious about there being no trace of Gareth’s DNA around the bath – where it’s believed he squeezed himself into the bag.

For him, it was more suspicious considering the conditions of the flat – the heating had been turned up to its highest setting.

Theories suggest this may have been done to help the body to decompose quicker, if shadowy forces were involved.

Peter told the doc: “His body would have been perspiring. But there was no trace at all, anywhere of his in this bath or around the bath.” 

Later Peter added: “It was very clear that Gareth did not do this himself. It would be an absolute impossibility unless you’re wearing forensic gloves and a forensic suit. 

“Gareth Williams was naked and he would have left traces of sweat and all sorts of marks everywhere within that bathroom.”

Not only was there none of Gareth’s DNA on the bath but it wasn’t found on the bag, the bag’s zip or the padlock. 

Many thought the crime scene was suspiciously devoid of DNA despite there being no evidence that the bag or the bathroom had been cleaned.

‘Sex game gone wrong’

Inside the flat, investigators found several mobile phones – including one that had been restored to factory settings and another “with a search history that included bondage sites”.

Gareth, who was gay, was believed to have been into BDSM, which some suggested as a motivation for him getting into the bag and attributed his passing to a ‘sex game gone wrong’. 

This theory gained further weight when his former landlady Jennifer Elliot told the inquest of a 2007 incident.

Early one morning, at around 1.30am, she heard his pleas for help and found him alone in his bedroom, wearing just shorts, with his hands tied to his bedposts. 

But Gareth’s sister, Cerri Subbe, insisted her brother was meticulous about assessing risk and would not have put himself in danger without an escape route from the inside. 

Agreeing with her, Professor Anthony Glees, from the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, told the doc: “Because of his professional training, because of his skill set, Gareth Williams understood about risk. 

“And if this had been a mad, auto-erotic adventure, he would have taken a pen knife or something like that with him as he got into the bag. None of that was there.” 

Alejandra Sarmiento, a psychosexual specialist, told the doc that believing a fondness for bondage could “escalate” to being locked inside a bag was “parallel to the assumption that if you take weed you’ll end up on heroin”.

Memory stick mystery

Due to the secretive nature of espionage, it’s not known what Gareth was working on at the time he died, nor at what level he was operating within MI6. 

The talented mathematician, who was hired by GCHQ in 2001, had been on secondment to MI6 for a year when he died but had requested a transfer. 

After he passed away, nine memory sticks belonging to Gareth were found at his office – it’s unclear whether he was authorised to have them or had managed to smuggle them in.

Experts told the documentary that they do not believe he was spying for another nation or “looking to nick secrets” because, if he had, he would have “taken them out” and “not left them in situ”.

The memory sticks, which could have provided clues, were not handed over to police and their existence was only disclosed on the final day of the inquest. 

MI6 did not reveal any information about what was contained on the devices and subsequently wiped them.

MP Norman Baker said: “The interesting question is why MI6 appear to be so willing to impede a police investigation and prevent the real facts about this matter from coming out? And you have to conclude that there were security reasons why that should be the case.

“I think what Gareth may have stumbled across is the identity of a Russian mole in GCHQ and I believe he would have told his MI6 handlers about that matter and they would have been fully in the picture. 

I suspect that what MI6 did not want to say was this was an operational death, that Gareth Williams was doing something that put him in harm’s way

Professor Glees

“That being the case the Russians would have concluded perhaps that Gareth Williams had to be disposed of in order to protect their source within GCHQ Cheltenham. That would give a reason for his disposal.”

The claims were backed by former KGB agent Boris Karpichkov, who alleged Gareth was murdered to prevent a spy’s identity from being revealed, in 2015. 

He claimed the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service – formerly the SVR – was behind it and used an “untraceable poison, introduced in his ear”.

This however was rubbished by DCI Hamish Campbell, the Met’s Head of Homicide during the investigation, who said the theory had deep flaws including that “foreign agents usually kill people from their own countries, not other countries”.

He added: “There was no forced entry. Gareth was a risk analyst and he was very private and insular so the idea of him letting in people who pose a threat is unlikely.”  

But Professor Glees believes Gareth could have uncovered something that led to his death and was too sensitive to be publicly revealed.

He told the doc: “I suspect that what MI6 did not want to say was this was an operational death, that Gareth Williams was doing something that put him in harm’s way. 

“He agreed to do it and unfortunately paid for it with his life. But the balance was between our national security and giving her the full story. 

“And the decision was taken that national security should win out and it has always been like that in this country.”

The same year that Gareth died, the UK had sought to improve relations with Russia and was “keen to attract Russian money into London” according to Norman.

It led to what ex-MI6 agent Matthew described as “individuals and organisations of fairly dubious character” being allowed to relocate to the capital. 

Professor Glees says there is a possibility that Gareth may have been tasked with investigating ‘uncomfortable truths’ behind Russia’s influence in Britain.

The balance of evidence suggests that Gareth Williams should be remembered as a hero who was killed in the course of operations and by enemy action

Professor Glees

“Maybe What were they really trying to do in the United Kingdom?” he said. “What were they really after? What did it really tell us about what was going on in the Kremlin? 

“And maybe, you know, he was the first casualty of what I’d called a new Cold War with Russia.”

‘Posthumous award?’

While some criticised MI6’s level of cooperation with the investigation, some have speculated there was a subtle sign at his funeral that revealed Gareth died in the line of duty.

They drew the conclusion due to the head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, attending the ceremony at Bethel Baptist Chapel in Anglesey and praising his former employee. 

He said: “Gareth was a hugely talented person and he was very modest and generous as well. He did really valuable work with us in the cause of national security.”

Professor Glees took this as a coded way of honouring the late codebreaker and dispelling claims he died in a ‘sex game gone wrong’.

He told the doc: “Maybe Sir John Sawers turning up at the funeral is in a sense giving him a posthumous medal. 

“The balance of evidence suggests that Gareth Williams should be remembered as a hero who was killed in the course of operations and by enemy action.”

The Spy in the Bag: New Revelations airs 10pm Tuesday on Channel 5.