02/05/2012 BBC News at Six

The mystery death of an Mi6 officer - the coroner says we may never

know what happened. Gareth Williams was found dead in a

sports bag - the verdict his death was probably unlawful. It's highly

likely that a third party was involved in Gareth's death, and I

urge anyone who knows Gareth who had contact with him to search

their conscience and come forward. Tonight the family accuses Mi6 of

failing Gareth Williams. Also on the programme:

Tax avoidance at the top of the civil service - senior officials

use a loophole to pay less to the revenue.

Hundreds of people remember the woman who died at the London

marathon. Claire Squires collapsed a mile

from the finish line - a million pounds has been donated to her

charity. Cardinal Sean Brady refuses to

resign. Is there life out there? The green

light for an eight year journey to one of Jupiter's moons.

Tonight on BBC London, it's the final day of campaigning for the

men and women who want to be Mayor. And a show of strength in the skies

- the typhoon jets arrive which will protect London during the

Welcome to the BBC News at Six. It's a mystery that may never be

explained - that was the verdict of the coroner at the inquest into the

death of MI6 officer Gareth Williams. Dr Fiona Wilcox ruled out

suicide and said Mr Williams was probably killed unlawfully. His

body was found in 2010 in a sports bag that was padlocked on the

outside. Today Mr Williams' family criticised the Secret Intelligence

Service for taking days to raise the alarm.

Nearly two years on from the death of Gareth Williams, seen here in

his last movements and after a lengthy, detailed inquest, the

central mysteries of how and why the intelligence officer died

remain. Today the policewoman leading the inquiry made it clear

the investigation goes on. The inquest has raised several new

lines of inquiry, and the investigation will now refocus and

actively pursue all the evidence heard and all the new lines of

inquiry. This police reconstruction, with

residue of extensive forensic testing, shows how Gareth

Williams's body was found in the bathroom of his top floor flat in

Pimlico in a locked bag. Could he have got inside and locked it

himself? Experts gave evidence in court and this video was shown of

them trying. One told the BBC afterwards what he thought. I have

tried hundreds of times to look myself inside this bag and couldn't.

Even Houdini would have struggled this one. Someone else must have

So was Gareth Williams's death linked to his work or private life?

The head of MI6 attended Gareth Williams's funeral. Today he issued

an unreserved apology for the weeklong delay in reporting Gareth

missing from his four-man team, a delay that made it impossible to be

certain of cause of death, with poisoning or asphyxiation most

likely. The family made clear their distress of this, in a statement

read by their solicitor. Our grief is exacerbated by his employers at

MI6 to take even the most basic inquiries as to his whereabouts.

With no evidence linking his death to his work, was it his private

life? Large amounts of women's clothing were found in his flat,

but the coroner said this was probably linked to an interest in

fashion. She also said visits to bondage sites weren't significant.

Many questions remain unanswered, these include if there was a third

party, why were there so few traces found in the flat? Why was one of

Gareth Williams's phones wiped hours before he died? And did

police get all the relevant material from MI6?

For Gareth Williams's family, this inquest has involved hearing much

painful evidence. Today they said they could not describe the depths

of their sorrow, and after all the intrigue and conspiracies, Gareth

Williams's death remains both tragic and unresolved, and the

coroner today said it may never be fully explained.

We can speak to Gordon now at the flat where Gareth Williams's body

was found. Where does this police investigation go now? Well, the

coroner today said she was convinced someone else was at this

flat when he died, but who was it? That mystery still remains and

seems no closer to being answered. The police have got a few lines of

inquiry. They're looking at some tiny traces of DNA. They're looking

at phones. They have made an appeal for witnesses, but those are pretty

slim picks, which is why the coroner says it may never be fully

explained. Also on the issue of his workplace - today MI6 have issued a

statement that say that they have always provided all the evidence

the police wanted. They have cooperated fully, and they will

continue to cooperate. But that gives you a sense of just how

complicated this inquiry has been and will continue to be as it goes

forward. George? Gordon, thank you.

A BBC investigation has uncovered that over 2,000 senior civil

servants are exploiting a legal loophole to reduce the amount of

tax they pay. These employees have set themselves up as companies so

they can avoid personal tax rates. These latest revelations come from

a Government audit set-up after it emerged that Ed Lester, the Chief

Executive of the Student Loans Company, had been using the same

practice. Newsnight's Peter Marshall has this exclusive report.

The tax arrangements at the head of the Student Loans Company, Ed

Lester, caused a row earlier this year when the BBC revealed he was

being paid by the Government through a private company, allowing

him to reduce his tax bill. Now it seems over 2,000 other public

servants earning a minimum of over �58,000 a year are doing the same -

not paying tax at source. And that does not include the numbers in

local Government which must run to a large number - and it doesn't

look like it includes the whole of the NHS or the academy schools.

it's far worse than 2,000 you suspect? Yes, far worse, and it is

extraordinary that we have had a Government in for two years and

this has been going on without Ministers having the slightest clue

that this was happening. The information has come to light

in a letter from the Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander to the

Chancellor, George Osborne. Mr Alexander, who signed off on Ed

Lester's arrangements suggests he's shocked by the sheer scale of the

off-payroll deals. They came to light in a trawl of Government

departments. He wants board members and senior officials to be

compelled to go on staff. He wants to seek assurances on the tax

details for anyone engaged for more than six months on more than �220 a

day, and he wants it all brought in within three months.

This all sounds very dynamic and decisive from a Government which

these days regards tax avoidance as morally repugnant, but in seeking

to overturn the legally agreed pay deals of thousands of its workforce,

they could be biting off more than they can chew.

A former tax inspector says it will cost millions.

On a population of 2,000, which we understand, gives a cost of �60

million. That's just if they're earning �58,a 200. If they're

earning more... That national insurance cost may go up to �24

million. From That's without take into account pensions, holiday pay

and various statutory pay rights. The dangerous of it is if it's not

handled carefully, recouping the lost tax could cost the country a

fortune. And you can see Peter Marshall's

full report on Newsnight tonight at 10.30 on BB Two.

Claire Squires, the woman who collapsed and died less than a mile

from the London marathon finish line, has been buried in

Leicestershire. More than 600 people attended the funeral. Since

her death thousands of people have been donating money to the

samaritans, the charity she was running for. As Claire Marshall

reports the total now is more than a million pounds.

The theme of today was red, Claire's favourite colour.

# You can tell everybody - # Songs she loved played on a loud

speaker as friends and family arrived, the day she is buried, and

still, people are giving. This from the team she climbed mount

Kilimanjaro with last year. Claire Squires was just 30 when she

entered the London Marathon. She was less than a mile from the

finishing line when she collapsed and died. At the time, she'd

already raised �500 for charity, but then something extraordinary

happened. Touched by her story, people around the world began

donating, and within a week, the total was more than �1 million.

Today this was caused an extraordinary response.

Claire's sister gave a very moving tribute. She said that Claire fit

more into 30 years than most people do into 80 or 90.

A huge legacy she's left in our footsteps, well over �1 million

raised for charity, and she has become the nation's sweetheart. I

am so proud to call her my sister. The charity she was running for has

never seen such a wave of giving. Samaritans is the organisation that

is used to supporting the nation, and we find ourselves in the last

ten days in a position where the nation is supporting us. She has

indeed made a huge difference, but those who love her will miss her.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has refused to

resign over allegation he could have stopped child abuse in the

1970s but failed to do so a BBC documentary has uncovered new

evidence that suggests Cardinal Keith O'Brien shoe the names of

abused children -- Sean Brady knew the names of abused children but

failed to tell the police. The priest wasn't jailed until years

later. Father Brendan Smith abused

children across Ireland for 40 years. It wasn't until 1994 that he

was finally jailed, but could he have been caught sooner? And should

the man who is now the head of the Irish Catholic Church have done

more to stop him? Back in 1975 when Cardinal Brady was a young priest,

records show he and a number of colleagues met one of Father

Smith's victims, Brendan Boland. He was an altar boy. He said he told

priests at the time he was being abused and that other children were

also at risk from Father Smith. There was a boy from Belfast, I

gave him his name and address. There was a girl from Belfast. I

gave him her name and address. There was another boy. I gave him

his name and address. But there is no evidence that the parents of

these other children or the police were contacted. Cardinal Brady?

The BBC documentary team asked him about the revelation.

You had names and addresses, Cardinal, of children who were

being abused or at risk of being abused and did not protect them.

I... Today he gave an explanation. He said his rule in 1975 had simply

been to gather evidence about Father Smith for more senior

members of the church to act upon. He said he was sorry they didn't do

more. But at all times I was doing my utmost to make sure that the

evidence was produced and brought to those who could stop him.

But that explanation was not good must have for many abuse victims.

He knew whether those parents had been contacted or not. He had free

will. He should have had a conscience, and he did not act, and

on those grounds, he should not be there any longer. He should not be

leading our church. The pressure is building. It's known that Cardinal

Brady has considered resigning, but tonight, it's being made clear he's

staying on, and it's also emerged that the church will not try to

force him out. A man has appeared in court on

Teesside charged with two murders. James Allen, who is 36, is accused

of killing Colin Dunford in Middlesbrough and Julie Davidson at

Whitby. He was remanded in custody to appear at Teesside Crown Court

tomorrow. Immigration staff are to hold a

one-day strike next Thursday in a row over public sector pensions.

Ministers say they have a contingency plan to tackle the risk

of queues at border points. Recent delays at Heathrow immigration have

led to dozens of extra staff being deployed.

It's five years since Madeleine McCann went missing from a villa in

Portugal. Today her parents Kate and Gerry said they have "no doubt"

that the Portuguese authorities will eventually reopen the

investigation into their daughter's disappearance and that Madeleine

will be found alive. We know about - there is genuine

new information which has come into the inquiry, and secondly, new

lines of investigation have been identified from the different bits

of information in the file. For example, it's just like two bits of

the jigsaw have come together and given a definite lead which hasn't

The body of a baby boy, thought to be up to six months old, has been

founded a recycling plant in Scunthorpe. What have the police

got to go on? Well, it seems that we are not talking about an

abandoned newborn, but at BP six months old. Police were called here

at 930 yesterday morning when workers found you discovered that

baby in the rubbish. Police have had forensic teams in here and it

had made and a direct appeal to the boy's parents, especially the

mother, who they believe she will needs support. In police are hoping

that someone will come forward and give them the information they need.

Our top story tonight: The MI6 worker who was found dead in a

padlocked bag was probably unlawfully killed, according to a

coroner's verdict. Coming up: Why picking up this

penguin landed two British tourists in an Australian court.

The government says it can't rule out a return to standpipes in the

street as the drought continues. Plus, confused about how to vote in

the London elections? We will make It's an 18 year mission to seek out

new life and to go where no man has gone before. A new probe to one of

Jupiter's moons is getting the green light. The European Space

Agency is calling it Juice, and it comes with a billion euro price tag.

So, what will it find and is it worth the money? Here's our science

correspondent, Pallab Ghosh. The moons of Jupiter or, some

encrusted in ice, others fiery and volcanic. They are amongst the most

fascinating of worlds and remained largely unexplored. Some of these

moons are now the destination of Europe's next major space mission.

It is a really exciting prospect, to think we will be going off and

exploring did Jupiter's system, these moons that have water under

East - underneath their crusts. Until now Nasa has led the way but

because of budget cuts the Americans have had to scrap many of

its missions. European nations are still prepared to fund what - fund

research. Jupiter's is much further from the sun than the Earth with

the Sun's rays are weak and temperatures are well below

freezing. Orbiting around Jupiter or are more than 16 moons and it is

thought some of them, including Ganymede and Joe Robuck, may be

able to support life. Europa has an icy surface that could be up to 100

metres deep. But underneath the ice is warmed and melted. This is

caused by a three huge gravitational force of Jupiter's.

So, below the frozen crust there is thought to be a vast ocean which

might be home to simple life forms, or even if strange kind of alien

fish. To have life, you need to have water. Where else to go in the

solar system other whites and places that we know there is liquid

water. Is there a possibility that there might be life on one of these

worlds? I would be very surprised that there wasn't life of some kind.

In the far future our son will expand and Jupiter's moons will

warm. Some scientists say that they may one day become humanity's new

home as the species looks to colonise other parts of the Solar

System. A blind Chinese dissident is at the

centre of a major diplomatic row between Beijing and Washington.

Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest last week and took refuge in

the US embassy in the Chinese capital. He's now left, but said he

was forced to leave after learning that his wife would have been

killed if he didn't. Here's our Beijing Correspondent, Damian

Grammaticas. Tempers fray. This is one of

Beijing's biggest hospitals this afternoon. Chinese security agents

desperate became one of the country's best known human rights

activists hidden from us. At the end of the corridor in the Weald

Child - in a wheelchair, we glimpsed him. Chen Guangcheng. He

was brought here find a US diplomat, they said they had negotiated a

deal with the Chinese are authorities. The silhouettes are

his wife and children. We have seen him inside, and his wife. Cheatle

the BBC that he was fine. You can see, we are being moved out of the

hospital. Declined Goya became an icon of human rights lawyers in

China after he exposed how thousands of women had undergone

forced abortions. He was held for seven years under illegal house

arrest. He escaped last week, even though she had nearly 100 guards

watching him. His desire he said was to ensure that his family could

live free from harassment and beatings they had endured. He made

this video appeal to the leaders in China. His escape has embarrassed

them. Chinese state television today said that America's actions

amounted to unacceptable interference in the affairs of

China and demanded an apology. America has said there won't be one.

Hillary Clinton is now in Beijing for scheduled talks with Chinese

leaders. This evening, the dissident has said that Chinese at

Berkeley said that they were threatening to beat his family to

death. He said that the threat to his family was the reason he quit

the embassy. If I didn't leave, the Chinese are authorities were going

to put my family in danger, adding I need help now. Tonight's game and

his family are in the hospital under guard with no US diplomats

protecting him, again feared - fearing for his safety.

In Egypt, attackers armed with guns, clubs and firebombs have killed as

many as 20 people who have been demonstrating for several days

outside the country's Ministry of Defence. More than 100 people have

been injured in the violence in Cairo. Some observers have

suggested that the Government may have orchestrated the attacks.

Tomorrow voters will head to the polls in local elections across

England, Scotland and Wales. As well as electing councillors,

voters in Liverpool, Salford and London will be voting for directly-

elected mayors. As ever, Jeremy Vine will be tracking every move.

He's been looking at what's at stake.

Thigh let me show you first of all the map of England and colour in

all of that councils in the colour of the party that controls them.

These are the ones in play in the next day. This is Birmingham,

coloured black because it is under no overall control. His Birmingham

going to turn red? Portsmouth, this speck of orange, can do little

Democrats hold off their opponents? Scotland is a different story. All

the councils here are Rupp. So, these are the largest parties in

these areas. The SNP is in yellow. The Liberal Democrats in orange.

Labour is very strong in the middle of Scotland, and the Conservatives

in the south. In Wales all but one of the council to rot. Purple is

the independent counsellors. Down in this out, much less red than

they would have been say 10 or 15 years ago. In the north, the green

of the Welsh nationalists. This is the grass from last year, I will

show you the percentages the parties would have got eight the

council elections had taken place across the whole country. Labour in

the league. The Conservatives quite a strong second. Then you see the

Liberal-Democrats, terrible result for them, and the others 13 %. This

result was better than the Conservatives had feared, and not

as good as Labour might have hoped. There are other elections. The for

London mayor, Boris Johnson won with this so called Boris go nuts.

There were votes in the suburbs. Will that happen again? Also, the

London assembly, 25 seats. This is how they were arranged the last

time they were contested. Across England, in 11 different places

there will be referendums on whether people want at mayor. In

Doncaster, Birmingham, Sheffield and so on. The really big thought,

how much of this book can the Conservatives hang on to give and

that when these seats were last one in 2008 they were in a very strong

position? Jeremy Vine reporting there. David

Dimbleby will have all the results in Vote 2012, tomorrow night at

11.35pm on BBC One and the BBC News Channel.

It started as a drunken prank and ended with a court sentence. Two

British tourists in Australia have been fined after they broke into a

theme park, swam with dolphins and stole a penguin. Rhys Jones and

Keri Mules released the bird into a canal the following day, but were

arrested after they posted updates about their antics on the web.

Duncan Kennedy reports from Sydney. Early-morning and a group of

friends with a hangover week to find this site in the living room.

I can't believe I have at Penguin in my apartment. Taken by the men

last month during have late night prank at Brisbane's Sea World. Now

two of those involved, Rhys Jones and Keri Mules have been fined

$1,000, about �600 for removing him. The boys understand that this can't

happen. They are pleased that in the end then no pay England was

can't and it has had a happy ending for the Penguin. That is not all

they did last - that night. They also stripped of to swim with the

dolphins. Do you guys want to say an apology? A little more sheepish

here perhaps, but they did offer a more fulsome apology earlier.

are all three of us so sorry for Sea World and the time lost

searching for the Penguin. I am glad he is all right. Dirk is now

doing fine back at the Park, reunited with his friend, peaches,

treating the whole experience like Let's take a look at the weather

now with Matt Taylor. Do not take your eye off the ball, because this

massive cloud will bring more rain tonight. You can see we have got

clusters of intense rainfall, thunderstorms working out of the

Low countries. They will continue to push their way westwards. Some

of that rain could be torrential with rumbles of thunder. There

could be some minor flooding. Further north it will stay dry.

It'll be a cold start to a Thursday morning. Still some wet weather

around for the morning in Wales. Lighter, patchy rain will start to

move away from the Southern Counties and it could brighten up

your earlier on. Into the Midlands, outbreaks of rain. For North Wales

and north-west England, Western Scotland, Northern Ireland, and

generally dry and bright, if not sunny start. This area of cloud and

rain will ease off. It will be a fine afternoon north of this rain

band. All change on Friday with cold winds from the north. Cloudy

with outbreaks of rain across England and Wales and its the

thicker cloud will linger in Southern areas on Saturday and

Sunday. A reminder of tonight's main news.