'There wasn't much blood about': Detective who found weapons expert David Kelly's body raises questions over his death



The mystery surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly deepened yesterday after the detective who found his body claimed he didn't see 'much blood'.

The revelation by Detective Constable Graham Coe casts further doubt on the Hutton Report's verdict that the Ministry of Defence scientist died of blood loss after slitting his wrist.

In his first interview, Mr Coe, now retired, also said that police searched Dr Kelly's home the day after his death for papers 'of a sensitive nature' about Iraq.

Key evidence: DC Graham Coe has spoken for the first time about finding the body of Dr David Kelly

Dr Kelly, an expert on biological and chemical weapons, was found dead in woodland near his Oxfordshire home in July 2003.

A week earlier he had been exposed by the Labour government as the source of a BBC report claiming No 10 'sexed up' reports of Iraq's ability to deploy weapons of mass destruction.

Lord Hutton's inquiry found in 2004 that the 59-year-old killed himself by slashing his wrist with a blunt pruning knife.

Mr Coe, now 63, was the first to find the body and stood guard for 25 minutes before back-up arrived.

DC Graham Coe's evidence makes callls for an inquest into David Kelly's death even more compelling

DC Graham Coe's evidence makes callls for inquest into Dr David Kelly's death even more compellHe told the Mail on Sunday: 'I certainly didn't see a lot of blood anywhere. There was some on his left wrist but it wasn't on his clothes.

'On the ground there wasn't much blood about, if any.' The Hutton Report said there were bloodstains on a water bottle next to the corpse.

Mr Coe said: 'I didn't see any bloodstains on the bottle and I didn't check the knife.'

His account matches that of two experienced paramedics at the scene, who said the lack of blood was puzzling.

They have previously said: 'It is incredibly unlikely he [Dr Kelly] died from the wrist wound we saw.'

They have been backed by Dr Neville Davis MBE, a former president of clinical forensic medicine at the Royal Society of Medicine, who said there would have been a 'hell of a lot of blood' on the scientists clothes and the ground if he had died from a cut to the artery.

On guard: Police at Dr Kelly's home in July 2003

Mr Coe also confirmed the disputed existence of a 'third man' with him and his partner DC Colin Shields that day.

Critics who believe Dr Kelly was murdered have claimed that the suited figure mentioned in the accounts of volunteer searchers could have been from the security services.

At the Hutton inquiry Mr Coe denied anyone else had been present, but the former Thames Valley Police detective now says there had been a trainee police officer, whom he refused to name and said had left the force.

Mr Coe also acted as 'exhibits officer' in a search of Dr Kelly's home the day after his death.

He recalled: 'We were looking for documents relating to Iraq. No one knew whether he kept any papers of a sensitive nature at home.

'We had to search. If someone writes a suicide note, you'll find it. We were looking for politically sensitive documents.'

Harrowdown Hill, where the body of Dr David Kelly was found

Attorney General Dominic Grieve has already said he is ' concerned' by allegations around the Kelly case and has called for a fresh investigation.

Yesterday Transport Minister Norman Baker, who has campaigned for a full independent inquest, said: 'This is important new evidence, which I am sure the Attorney General will want to investigate. It raises serious questions about the conclusions reached by Lord Hutton.'

However, Mr Coe does not suspect foul play. He said: 'In my view he [Dr Kelly] took his own life. Only he will know why he did that.'













