David Kelly: Call For Inquest After 'Cover-Up'

Doctors campaigning for a full inquest for David Kelly claim there has been a Hillsborough-style cover-up in the case as they push for a fresh investigation on the 10th anniversary of his death.

The group, led by radiologist Stephen Frost, said it would be "shameful if the truth about the suspicious death" was suppressed in a similar way to details about the football tragedy that left 96 Liverpool FC fans dead.

But Alastair Hay, a close friend of Dr Kelly's, insisted blood tests carried out on the scientist had "kicked into touch" claims he was murdered.

Dr Kelly, who is believed to have died on July 17, 2003 or in the early hours of the following day, was found near his Oxfordshire home shortly after he was identified as the source of a BBC report about the Government's dossier on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

The Hutton Inquiry, which effectively superseded the work of the Oxfordshire Coroner Nicholas Gardiner, found the government weapons inspector committed suicide.

But the group, which includes Andrew Watt, David Halpin and Christopher Burns-Cox and has long campaigned for a full investigation, claims the inquiry was inadequate and failed to examine a number of questions over the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Dr Kelly's body.

"This week it is 10 years since the suspicious death of the biological weapons scientist, Dr David Kelly," the group said in a statement. "His death is a matter of continuing public and professional concern.

"Ten years after the Hillsborough disaster the truth of the matter was still deeply concealed. Only recently, with the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report, has the extent of police dishonesty and cover-up become officially recognised.

"Ten years after Dr Kelly's death the truth is similarly concealed."

Prof Hay, a chemical weapons expert, criticised the Hutton Inquiry but said there has "never been an issue about any sort of conspiracy".

He told The Daily Telegraph: "I have many contacts in the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office, and there has never been an issue about any sort of conspiracy or anybody else having been involved."