Espionage: inquiry begins into death of Gareth Williams, British MI6 agent

Gareth Williams, the MI6 worker found dead inside a padlocked bag in the bath at his London apartment in 2010, had requested a transfer from the espionage agency and had complained about "friction" at work, a British inquest heard.

Williams, 31, had become disenchanted with a heavy drinking "office culture" at the spy agency’s central Thames-side headquarters and London's "rat race," said his sister Ceri Subbe, according to the Daily Mail.

Subbe  told Westminster coroner's court that her brother, a cycling enthusiast who was happiest "in the mountains," disliked "office culture, post-work drinks, flash car competitions and the rat race," and had wanted to return to the intelligence agency GCHQ in Cheltenham.

Williams, a cipher and codes expert, was only on a three-year secondment to MI6 when his decomposed naked body was found, his mobile telephone and sim cards carefully laid out on a table, the Guardian reported.

Underwear was reportedly found neatly folded on a bed and a woman’s wig was hanging on a chair, the inquiry has heard.

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There were no signs of forced entry and his apartment was left in an "extremely tidy" state, according to a police officer also who gave evidence, John Gallagher.

According to Britain's Daily Telegraph, police believe Williams may have been killed by a "jealous lover," but they do not rule out the possibility his death was linked to his intelligence work.

The inquiry also heard that Williams was extremely conscientious and his family said he would never let anyone into his flat apart from them.

Subbe told the inquest, however, that he never spoke to them about his top-secret intelligence work.

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