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:
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.
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.At the interview you will discuss the following areas:
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.
- Nationality/citizenship
- Family
- Employment history
- Health & wellbeing
- Friends & associations
- Alcohol & substance use
- Travel
- Sexual history
- Finance
- Internet usage
- Criminality
- Lifestyle & beliefs
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.