Q. And the pathologist said that Dr Kelly’s lung had been removed for tests. Have you discussed that matter with the toxicologist?
A. I have discussed that matter with the toxicologist. The lung was not subjected to tests, and the rationale given to my team by the toxicologist is that the blood was tested for an entire range of substances including volatile substances and stupefying substances. No trace whatsoever was found and therefore they considered that examining the lung would not be relevant because if it was not in the blood, it would not be in the lung.
146. Very understandably the police did not show the knife found beside Dr Kelly’s body to his widow and daughters but the police showed them a photograph of that knife. It is clear that the knife found beside the body was a knife which Dr Kelly had owned since boyhood and which he kept in a desk in his study, but which was found to be missing from his desk after his death. In her evidence Mrs Kelly said:
Q. We have heard about the circumstances of Dr Kelly’s death and the fact that a knife was used. Were you shown the knife at all?
A. We were not shown the knife; we were shown a photocopy of I presume the knife which we recognised as a knife he had had for many years and kept in his drawer.
Q. It was a knife he had had what, from childhood?
A. From childhood I believe. I think probably from the Boy Scouts.
And in a statement furnished to the Inquiry Police Constable Roberts stated: The knife found in possession of Dr David Kelly is a knife the twins, Rachel and Ellen recognise (from pictures shown by Family Liaison Officers). It would not be unusual to be in his possession as a walker. They have seen it on their walks with him. He would have kept it in his study drawer with a collection of small pocket knives (he did like gadgets) and the space in the study drawer where a knife was clearly missing from the neat row of knives is where they believe it would [have] lived and been removed from.
147. It also appears probable that the Coproxamol tablets which Dr Kelly took just before his death came from a store of those tablets which Mrs Kelly, who suffered from arthritis, kept in their home. In a statement furnished to the Inquiry Detective Constable Eldridge stated:
At 1000hrs on Thursday 7th AUGUST 2003 I was on duty at Long Hanborough Incident Room when I removed from secure storage the following items for examination: –
1. Exhibit SK/2 CO-PROXAMOL BOX AND STRIP OF TEN TABLETS taken from Janice KELLY
2. Exhibit NCH/17/2 CO-PROXAMOL BLISTER PACKETS FRONT BOTTOM BELLOWS POCKET these had been removed from Dr KELLY’S coat pocket by the Pathologist.
On examining both items I saw that they were identical. They were marked M & A Pharmacy Ltd and had the wording CO-PROXAMOL PL/4077/0174 written on the foil side of each of the blister type packs.
I can say that enquiries have been made with M & A PHARMACHEM who are the manufacturers of CO- PROXAMOL. The batch number shown on the tablets in our possession was checked with a view to tracing the chemist that these tablets had been purchased from. I can say that this batch number relates to approximately 1.6 million packets of tablets that will have been distributed to various chemists throughout the country.
148. In relation to the question whether Dr Kelly took his own life the opinion of Dr Hunt was as follows:
[16 September, page 23, line 14]
The orientation and arrangement of the wounds over the left wrist are typical of self-inflicted injury. Also typical of this was the presence of small so-called tentative or hesitation marks. The fact that his watch appeared to have been removed whilst blood was already flowing suggest that it had been removed deliberately in order to facilitate access to the wrist. The removal of the watch in that way and indeed the removal of the spectacles are features pointing towards this being an act of self harm.
Other features at the scene which would tend to support this impression include the relatively passive distribution of the blood, the neat way in which the water bottle and its top were placed, the lack of obvious signs of trampling of the undergrowth or damage to the clothing. To my mind, the location of the death is also of interest in this respect because it was clearly a very pleasant and relatively private spot of the type that is sometimes chosen by people intent upon self harm.
Q. Is that something you have found from your past experience?
A. Yes, and knowledge of the literature.
149. Professor Keith Hawton was requested by the Inquiry to give evidence in relation to the death of Dr Kelly. Professor Hawton is an eminent expert on the subject of suicide and is the Professor of Psychiatry at Oxford University and is the Director of the Centre for Suicide Research in the University Department of Psychiatry in Oxford. He stated in his evidence that the majority of those who commit suicide do not leave a suicide note or message. He further stated:
Q. Did you form any assessment of whether Dr Kelly’s death was consistent with suicide?
A. I think all the information we have about his death and the circumstances of his death strongly point to his death having been by suicide.
Q. And what would you say drives you to that conclusion?
A. Well, the first thing is the site in which the death occurred. We have heard that it occurred in an isolated spot on Harrowdown Hill. In fact it was, as I think you have been told, in woodland about 40 or 50 yards off the track taken by ramblers. The site is well protected from the view of other people.
Q. Have you been to the site?
A. I have visited the site, yes.
Q. And what did you notice there then?
A. Well, I noticed, first of all—what struck me was it is a very peaceful spot, a rather beautiful spot and we know that it was a favourite—it was in the area of a favourite walk of Dr Kelly with his family.
Q. What other factors have you considered relevant?
A. The nature of his injuries is very consistent with an act of self cutting. The doctor—I have read Dr Hunt’s report , who is the Home Office forensic pathologist. I have also seen the photographs of the injuries to Dr Kelly’s body; and the nature of the injuries to his wrist are very consistent with suicide.
Q. Why do you say that? We have heard from some of the ambulance personnel who did not themselves see very much blood. We have heard from others who did see more blood. What is relevant here?
A. Well I am referring here particularly to the nature of the cutting which perhaps I would prefer not to describe in detail.
Q. Right.
A. But it—
Q. Perhaps you can just explain why you do not want to describe these matters in detail.
A. Well, one of the concerns I have is that there is now good evidence that reporting and portrayal of detailed methods of suicide in the media can actually sometimes facilitate suicide in other people.
Q. So it is perfectly obvious there are lots of members of the press here. If you had to say anything to them about the reporting of your evidence today, what would it be?
A. I think with regard to the specific method of suicide, I would prefer that that was kept as general as possible.
Q. For those reasons?
A. Yes.
Q. You have talked about the cutting. What else do you consider to have been consistent with suicide?
A. Well, the situation or the circumstances in which Dr Kelly’s body was found are consistent, in that he had apparently removed—his glasses were found by his body in a way—in a manner suggesting that they had been taken off by him, as was his cap; his watch had been taken off, was removed from the body.
Q. What does that indicate?
A. It suggests that he removed the watch to give him better access to be able to carry out the cutting.
Q. And was there anything else that you saw from the pathologist’s report that assisted you in your conclusion?
A. Well, the instrument that was used, which I have seen a photograph of, and the family, as you know, I think, have been shown a copy of a similar instrument, a large penknife—I will call it a penknife, but it is a rather primitive style of penknife—is very similar to one that he had in his drawer in his study, and it was one I think you heard yesterday he had had since his childhood.