A British spy whose murdered body was discovered in a sports bag at his London flat may have been killed by a jealous partner, it has been revealed.

31-year-old Gareth Williams had been working for MI6 on a one-year placement, but was due to return to his original job at the GCHQ listening station based in Cheltenham at the start of September.

Police believe that the spy may have had a row with a lover over his decision to return to Gloucestershire, which led to his death.

His murder, however, may still be linked to his work with MI6 – and police haven’t ruled this out.

Officers were seen examining Mr. William’s mobile phone yesterday, which was discovered along with several different sim cards placed besides it. They were also analysing CCTV footage from the cameras near Mr. William’s flat.

Mr. William’s may have known his killer – as there was no sign of forced entry at the flat based in Pimlico, central London.