Kelly predicted he would be found dead in the woods, inquiry hears

Dr David Kelly predicted he would be "found dead in the woods" if Iraq was invaded, it emerged yesterday.

The weapons inspector made the remarks months before he slashed his wrist at a beauty spot after being outed as the BBC's mole.

Foreign Office official David Broucher said Dr Kelly feared he had "betrayed" his Iraqi contacts in the build-up to war.

Telling them conflict could be avoided if they cooperated with weapons inspections put him in a "morally ambiguous situation", Lord Hutton's inquiry into his death heard.

Mr Broucher said it was only when he learned the circumstances of the scientist's death that he realised the possible significance of his conversation with Dr Kelly.

"I did not think much of it at the time, taking it as a hint that the Iraqis might take vengeance against him," he said.

"I now see that he may have been thinking on rather different lines."

The disclosure came on another day that saw pressure grow on Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

Mr Hoon faces fresh questions over the way Dr Kelly was treated following claims defence officials told him he would not be named. The Defence Secretary also sought to limit the scientist's evidence to MPs investigating Government handling of intelligence, it emerged.