Summing up his report, Lord Hutton said the death of Dr Kelly - a devoted husband and father and a public servant who had served the UK with "great distinction" - was a "great tragedy".

Lord Hutton said it was not possible to reach a conclusion about what Dr Kelly said to Mr Gilligan at their crucial meeting, and that it may be the scientist said more than he had intended to say and did not realise the gravity of the situation.

But, the law lord went on, he believed the scientist did not tell Mr Gilligan the government probably knew or suspected the 45 minute claim was wrong when it drew up the dossier.

Even so, Lord Hutton emphasised the meeting was "unauthorised" and in breach of the Civil Service code of procedure.

Turning to Dr Kelly's death – about which there has been some speculation - Lord Hutton said he was satisfied Dr Kelly took his own life, without the involvement of any other person.

He also said nobody involved in the controversy could have "contemplated Dr Kelly would take his own life".

He agreed with suicide expert Professor Keith Hawton's opinion about the factors that led Dr Kelly to taking his own life, including a severe loss of self esteem and a feeling that people had lost trust in him.

FULL STORY

15 July 2003: David Kelly appears before MPs

Records of Andrew Gilligan/ David Kelly meeting at Charing Cross Hotel
(PDF file 140KB)

17 July 2003: Dr Kelly's "dark actors" e-mail
(PDF file 11KB)

17 July 2003: Dr Kelly e-mails a friend
(PDF file 14KB)