London: The family of a British spy found
dead in the bathtub of his flat said on Friday they were "very,
very upset" at claims that bondage equipment and
sado-masochism paraphernalia was found at the scene.
Gareth Williams, 30, is thought to have been dead for
two weeks when his decomposing remains were found Monday in a
bag in the bath at his home near the London headquarters of
secret intelligence service MI6, where he worked.
As friends painted a picture of Williams as a shy
mathematics genius who loved cycling, The Times newspaper
reported that police had found bondage gear in his flat and
possible evidence linking him to a male escort.
But William Hughes, a cousin of Williams`s mother,
said she and his father were surprised and upset by the
suggestion.
"I have spoken to Gareth`s parents and they are not
doing well at all," he added.
"They are in a state of shock and struggling to come
to terms with what has happened.
"They have seen what has been in the papers and they
are very, very upset about these untruths. I don`t see any
evidence of it.
"It never crossed my mind that Gareth was that sort of
person. He left home at a young age and what happened in his
private life was his business."
Scotland Yard declined to comment in detail on the
investigation but said that officers were awaiting the results
of tests on Williams`s body after a post-mortem examination
failed to determine the precise cause of death.
The tests should reveal details including whether he
had been drinking or taking drugs. There was no sign of forced
entry at the flat.
He was just days from completing a one-year secondment
to MI6 from his job at GCHQ, Britain`s "listening post" which
monitors communications for intelligence purposes, located in
Cheltenham, western England.
A childhood friend of Williams, Dylan Perry, told
London`s Evening Standard newspaper that he was highly
intelligent but could be easily led.
"He was the kind of person who found it difficult to
engage with people on a normal level," Perry said.
PTI
