Young Welshman Gareth Williams was a child prodigy who became a talented mathematician and codebreaker working for GCHQ, MI6 and the intelligence services but in the summer of 2010 he was found dead in a bag in the bath at his apartment in London. In this first episode Sian Williams looks at what we know about Gareth and reminds listeners of the bizarre nature and circumstances of his death. Death of a Codebreaker is presented by Dr Sian Williams with contributions by Dyfan Rees and Tracy Cardwell.
The Producer is Wayne Wright.
The Executive Producer is Ashley Byrne
Research by Wayne Wright, Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards
Music by Robin Forrest
Sound Editor: Mark Burrows 
Death of a Codebreaker is an MIM Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Wales

1. The Cursed Genius

Dr Sian Williams investigates the story of the Welsh codebreaker whose naked body was found inside a bag in his bath. Mystery still surrounds how and why Gareth Williams died.

Documentary

True crime

In the sixth and final episode of Death of a Codebreaker, Dr Sian Williams asks what justice for Gareth Williams would look like. She hears from Jim Frazer, the forensic scientist who carried out a review into the case 11 years ago as well Angela Gallop who has reviewed dozens of cold cases over the years. She asks if advances in DNA and scientific techniques could help detectives finally solve the mystery of how Gareth Williams died. And she questions whether it's time to put the security forces under greater scrutiny to reveal more about the nature of Gareth's work with M16. Death of a Codebreaker is presented by Dr Sian Williams with contributions from Dyfan Rees, Ashley Byrne, Wayne Wright, James Pepper, Tracy Cardwell and Lewis Allsopp The series was produced by Wayne Wright, Ashley Byrne and James Pepper The music is by Robin Forrest and the sound design by Kevin Bailey and Mark Burrows Executive Producer: Ashley Byrne Death of a Codebreaker is an MIM Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Wales

6. Justice for Gareth

Young Welshman Gareth Williams was found naked inside a relatively small bag in his bath in 2010. And another theory is that he was the victim of a bizarre sex game gone wrong. There are suggestions he may have had an interest in Claustrophilia - pleasure derived from being in a confined space. But how much evidence is there? Here Dr Sian Williams looks at what we know and don't know about Gareth's private life. Death of a Codebreaker is presented by Dr Sian Williams with contributions in Episode 5 from James Pepper, Ashley Byrne, Tracy Cardwell and Wayne Wright.
Producers: James Pepper, Ashley Byrne and Wayne Wright
The Executive Producer is Ashley Byrne..
Music by Robin Forrest
The Sound editor: Kevin Bailey
Death of a Codebreaker is an MIM Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Wales.

5: Private Passions

With so many unanswered questions, different theories about what exactly happened to young Welshman Gareth Williams in summer 2010 remain rife. One suggestion is that he was assassinated by a rogue state. A former KGB intelligence officer, an ex-Government Minister and the wife of murdered dissident Alexander Litvinenko all suspect Russian involvement. But would the Kremlin really go to such lengths? Death of a Codebreaker is presented by Dr Sian Williams with contributions in Episode 4 from from Dyfan Rees, Ashley Byrne and Wayne Wright.
Producers: Ashley Byrne, James Pepper and Wayne Wright
The Executive Producer is Ashley Byrne.
Research by Wayne Wright, Ashley Byrne and James Pepper.
Music by Robin Forrest
The Sound editor: Kev Bailey
Death of a Codebreaker is an MIM Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Wales.

4: Russia

The inquest into codebreaker Gareth Williams' death threw up many still-unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding how he died. Here, Dr Sian Williams examines more closely some of the evidence that came to light during the eight-day hearing and, given the nature of the young Welshman's work for the security services, asks if we will ever know some of the most crucial detail! Journalist and executive producer Ashley Byrne joins Sian as they work through some of the evidence from the hearing with a series of guests with an interest in the case. Death of a Codebreaker is presented by Dr Sian Williams with contributions in Episode 3 from from Ashley Byrne and Dyfan Rees
Producers: Wayne Wright and James Pepper.
The Executive Producer is Ashley Byrne.
Research by Wayne Wright, Ashley Byrne and James Pepper.
Music by Robin Forrest
The Sound editors are Mark Burrows and Kev Bailey
Death of a Codebreaker is an MIM Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Wales.

1. The Cursed Genius

Download our free app to listen on your phone