MI6 Spy in the Bag Gareth Williams's Death 'May Never be Solved'

The coroner at the inquest into the death of MI6 spy Gareth Williams whose body was found locked in a bag has said his death may never be solved.

Fiona Wilcox told Westminster's coroner's court that it was unlikely that Williams's death "will ever be satisfactory explained". "Most of the fundamental questions in relation to how Gareth died remain unanswered" despite a two year investigation, she said.

Wilcox said there had been "endless speculation but little evidence"

The body of Williams, 31, was found locked in a North Face holdhall at his Pimlico flat in London in August 2010.

Wilcox said she planned to record a narrative verdict - an option used when there is no clear evidence of death by natural causes, suicide or unlawful killing - as an open verdict would not do justice for the trial.

Wilcox had previously ruled out an unlawful killing verdict because experts could not agree on the cause of death.

Three pathologists who conducted post-mortem examinations on Williams say death by poisoning or asphyxiation were the more likely causes.

Pathologists told the court it would have taken Williams three minutes to suffocate inside the 81cm x 48cm bag.

Wilcox also added it was significant that there were no fingerprints or foot prints in the bathroom where William's body was found.

"In relation to the prints found within the bathroom, in my view what was more significant was what was not found rather than what was found."

Wilcox also added it was "highly unlikely" that Williams got inside the bag alone, saying: "If Gareth had been carrying out some kind of peculiar experiment, he wouldn't care if he left any foot or fingerprints."

Wilcox told the inquest she believed a third party had moved the bag containing Williams's body into the bathroom.

"In relation to the prints found within the bathroom, in my view what was more significant was what was not found rather than what was found."

She said she found it "highly unlikely" that Mr Williams got inside his red holdall alone, saying: "If Gareth had been carrying out some kind of peculiar experiment, he wouldn't care if he left any foot or fingerprints."

Anthony O'Toole, for the Williams family, said he believed the "dark arts" of the secret service were responsible.

It was recently disclosed how MI6 had failed to hand over nine computer memory sticks belonging to Williams to the police during their investigations.

A North Face bag similar to the one Williams's body was found in was also not handed over when police searched Williams's office.

DC Colin Hall, of the counter-terror SO15 branch, was questioned about his search of the office.

Hall told the court he did not seize the memory sticks from Williams's office because he was told they contained information "of a sensitive nature" and the bag did not hold any information about his death.