Spy Murder 'Too Sensitive For Court'

[Carse]

I was idly thinking about this case a few months ago when something occurred to me which I haven’t seen mentioned in any of the discussion around it. As Gareth worked for GCHQ and was on secondment to MI6, he would certainly have been required to hold ‘Developed Vetting’ (DV) security clearance, or perhaps even ‘Enhanced Developed Vetting’ (EDV) depending on exactly what projects he was assigned to. These are the highest possible level of security clearance in the UK. They are required for roles with access to highly sensitive information up to Top Secret level, especially in the intelligence services, and are managed centrally by a government agency called UK Security Vetting.

You can look up the requirements online because the government is quite open in giving guidance about the process to candidates. To gain DV or EDV clearance each candidate is subject to a comprehensive background check, including a check of their family and close associates. Amongst many other things, this check looks at their internet browsing history and financial affairs. They are also interviewed face to face over the course of a few hours by an officer who asks very probing questions; the aim of the interview is to find out anything in their life which may put the candidate at risk of blackmail. Here is what the UKSV website has to say about the interview process:

At the interview you will discuss the following areas:

• Nationality/citizenship
• Family
• Employment history
• Health & wellbeing
• Friends & associations
• Alcohol & substance use
• Travel
• Sexual history
• Finance
• Internet usage
• Criminality
• Lifestyle & beliefs

Due to the nature of the discussion, the interview can be intrusive and some individuals may find themselves distressed or triggered during or following the interview.

Now, having a weird kink or fetish doesn’t in itself mean that a candidate cannot be cleared to DV or EDV level but they would not be successful in gaining clearance if they refused to disclose their sexual proclivities, or if it later turned out they had lied or kept something like that hidden. These clearances are subject to regular review and interviews are carried out every few years.

What I’m getting at here is that Gareth Evans’ employer is almost certain to have known exactly what he enjoyed getting up to in his spare time. They knew what he was spending his money on. They knew which websites he was visiting and how often he was looking at them. The manner of his death will not have been a surprise.

 

[Cloudbusting]

Good points, I seem to remember that similar points were made in a recent podcast series from the BBC - Death of a Codebreaker. It suggested that these factors wouldn't have necessarily caused an issue during the recruitment process. Instead they would have been more concerned about him being open and honest, and ensuring he couldn't be blackmailed.

BBC link to an overview of the podcast episodes for anyone interested - I found it an interesting listen.

 

[cycleboy2]

The BBC podcast was excellent but the most bizarre thing, or one of the many truly bizarre things, was that Gareth was due in a meeting at GCHQ or one of the secret services, and when he failed to turn up... nothing happened!

It seems no attempt was made to contact him!!!!

Multiple exclams because I've worked for magazine publishers for a lot of my career. If I failed to attend a meeting they'd try to find out why I hadn't attended that day or soon after, perhaps trying to phone me, you know, the usual stuff! After a couple of days of non-contact I seriously think they'd actually come to my house, after all, I was being paid by them.

It beggars the imagination that one of the UK's most secret organisations thought, 'Nah, won't worry about that.'

It's truly, truly bizarre and inexplicable and only adds to the air of conspiracy theory about the whole thing. And I still can't get my head around it.

 

[PeteS]

I was idly thinking about this case a few months ago when something occurred to me which I haven’t seen mentioned in any of the discussion around it. As Gareth worked for GCHQ and was on secondment to MI6, he would certainly have been required to hold ‘Developed Vetting’ (DV) security clearance, or perhaps even ‘Enhanced Developed Vetting’ (EDV) depending on exactly what projects he was assigned to. These are the highest possible level of security clearance in the UK. They are required for roles with access to highly sensitive information up to Top Secret level, especially in the intelligence services, and are managed centrally by a government agency called UK Security Vetting.

You can look up the requirements online because the government is quite open in giving guidance about the process to candidates. To gain DV or EDV clearance each candidate is subject to a comprehensive background check, including a check of their family and close associates. Amongst many other things, this check looks at their internet browsing history and financial affairs. They are also interviewed face to face over the course of a few hours by an officer who asks very probing questions; the aim of the interview is to find out anything in their life which may put the candidate at risk of blackmail. Here is what the UKSV website has to say about the interview process:


Now, having a weird kink or fetish doesn’t in itself mean that a candidate cannot be cleared to DV or EDV level but they would not be successful in gaining clearance if they refused to disclose their sexual proclivities, or if it later turned out they had lied or kept something like that hidden. These clearances are subject to regular review and interviews are carried out every few years.

What I’m getting at here is that Gareth Evans’ employer is almost certain to have known exactly what he enjoyed getting up to in his spare time. They knew what he was spending his money on. They knew which websites he was visiting and how often he was looking at them. The manner of his death will not have been a surprise.

Friend's daughter was asked to apply to MI6 and went through the above process. She was rejected and the reason given was her OCD nature.

 

[pandacracker]

The heating being on may have been because they were both naked.

Ah, the voice of experience.

I was told a story by someone who said that a bondage fan they ...er ... played with once, asked to be handcuffed to the radiator and be left alone in the flat while the other person went out for the night. Apparently the thrill came from the antici ......................................
pation.

was that Gareth was due in a meeting at GCHQ or one of the secret services, and when he failed to turn up... nothing happened!

The problem with any dealings with the secret services is can we trust anything they say? They are masters of the dark arts.

 

[catseye]

I'd assume that you're still allowed a private life, even if you're a spy. They'd need to know about anything that might affect your ability to be blackmailed or otherwise persuaded into giving away secrets, but if you couldn't have a life or any kind of sex life - surely that's going to limit the number of people you get to work for you? So I would guess that they aren't going to be totally all over the workforce. So there is going to be some slack cut, unless they have reason to suspect you've decamped with national secrets.

 

[Spookdaddy]

I'd assume that you're still allowed a private life, even if you're a spy. They'd need to know about anything that might affect your ability to be blackmailed or otherwise persuaded into giving away secrets, but if you couldn't have a life or any kind of sex life - surely that's going to limit the number of people you get to work for you? So I would guess that they aren't going to be totally all over the workforce. So there is going to be some slack cut, unless they have reason to suspect you've decamped with national secrets.

Also, I suspect that our Intelligence services realised long ago that by far and away the best way to avoid your staff being blackmailed in regard to their (legal) sexual preferences is not to be bothered about them in the first place.