Spy's body 'padlocked shut' in bag found at flat

The cause of death is yet to be established after he was discovered in the Government flat on August 23, Westminster Coroner's Court heard.

Police broke into the top floor flat in Alderney Street, Pimlico, central London, after Mr Williams failed to appear at work for several days.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman revealed he was found in a bag which was "padlocked shut" and the corpse appeared to be in an "advanced state of decay", a court spokeswoman said.

A post mortem examination carried out on August 25 failed to establish a cause of death and investigations are continuing, the court heard.

The inquest was adjourned to September 8.

Dr Knapman will be kept informed of how the investigation is progressing and consider when to release the body so a funeral can take place, the court spokeswoman said.

There were no members of his family in court.

Mr Williams, 30, was last seen alive eight days before his corpse was discovered.

Police have not said whether the sighting was made on closed circuit TV or came from another source.

The investigation is being led by the Metropolitan Police Homicide Command with the security-vetted Counter Terror Command (SO15) also playing a lesser role in proceedings.

Officers are still trying to determine if he was asphyxiated, poisoned or if drugs or alcohol were present in his system.

A pathologist found Mr Williams was not stabbed or shot and there were no obvious signs of strangulation.

Mr Williams was days from completing a one-year secondment to the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, in Vauxhall, London.