MI6 spy wasn’t alone, says police chief

Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire said “two minor components of another contributor’s DNA” were found on the zip toggle and padlock. The evidence came to light as she appeared to rule out the possibility that Mr Williams got into the bag himself.

Footage of the red holdall bulging with Mr Williams’ body was played in court for the first time yesterday, as DCI Sebire said that officers had looked at all possible options of how he had come to be inside.

She told Westminster Coroner’s Court: “My thought or my opinion since I went into the scene is that a third party had been involved in the death or by putting the body in the bag.”

Video of the immaculately kept flat at the centre of his death riddle showed a cutting from the Observer newspaper headlined “top five regrets of the dying”. The video took the inquest on a walking tour of Mr Williams’ Pimlico home, showing a woman’s red wig, lipstick and make-up, in the condition that it was found.

Footage then showed close-up images of the white bathroom suite where Mr Williams’s body was found. The film zoomed in on the red North Face bag, showing bulges from his limbs inside and a brass padlock locking two zips together from the outside.

Mr Williams was found in the foetal position in the bag. There were no signs of struggle and his body position appeared “calm”, DCI Sebire said.

She said she would have expected to find fingerprints left by Mr Williams on the bathroom tiles. “Certainly there were no prints of anybody’s in the lower-tiled wall,” she added.

“He was in the foetal position. His legs were folded up towards his chest, his arms were bent slightly inwards.”

She added: “His face was very calm. His hands were resting on his chest.”

Mr Williams had not damaged the bag or sustained injuries to his hands, the detective said. “He was very muscular, he trained regularly. I would at least expect some tearing to the netting.” DCI Sebire said she allowed a counter-terrorism officer from SO15 – the only command at Scotland Yard with regular contact with MI6 – into the flat.

The last computer evidence of Mr Williams being alive was of him looking at a cycling time-trial website on 16 August, the officer added.

Mr Williams’ sister, Ceri Subbe, sat in the hearing as images showed the scene that greeted detectives as they arrived at his flat on 23 August, 2010.

The scene gave an insight into the codebreaker’s mind, showing carefully arranged piles of books and an extensive CD collection.

There was no sign of a break-in, and the footage showed Mr Williams had left cash in a cupboard and a mobile phone on the living room table. The only sign of disorder was a dressing gown and quilt discarded on the bedroom floor.

DCI Sebire detailed forensic evidence found there, including blood and semen. She also described the “high-value” items found in the flat’s smaller bedroom, including 26 pairs of mostly designer shoes, wigs and small and medium-sized female clothing worth about £20,000, all “in pristine condition”.

Asked by Coroner Fiona Wilcox whether she thought the clothes would have fitted Mr Williams, the detective replied: “Possibly.”