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The family of a London teacher crushed to death in a rubbish truck said today they suspected "foul play".
The body of Scott Williams was found at a recycling centre in Sussex on Monday morning.
It was thought the 35-year-old had fallen asleep in a wheelie bin after a night out drinking in Brighton.
But today his mother Marion Williams said: "It's just not right what they're saying. We don't believe that he would ever go into a bin."
Speaking from her home in Hamilton, New Zealand, she said her son, a maths teacher and rugby coach at schools in north-west London, was last seen escorting a female friend to a taxi at 3am on Sunday.
It is believed the bin was cleared sometime between 6am and 10am on Sunday, though Mrs Williams said she understood it was emptied, with her son inside, at about 6.30am.
Mr Williams's brother, Tony, 37, had been in London since May and was due to come home next month. They had spent the day together on Saturday before going to separate functions that night. Mr Williams then went out drinking with his flatmate in Brighton until the flatmate went home sick at 1am.
Mrs Williams, who was due to fly to London today, said: "(Tony) can't believe (the police) won't suspect foul play. (The police) have no coverage of the bin or anywhere he was after he escorted a female to a taxi at 3am."
His sister, Jolene, 34, from Hamilton, also said she did not believe her brother had voluntarily climbed into the bin.
"We just can't believe it," she said. "It's a huge shock to us and want to have him home so we can put closure to it really."
Mr Williams, a former national swimming champion, had been living and working as a teacher in London since 2000.
Sussex police are treating his death as "unexplained rather than suspicious".
Reader views (1)
I can't believe a big rugby player would enter a wheelie bin.I am deeply sad as this was my sons teacher a very lovely person to die in such a bizarre way. Why didn't the dust bin men check? Weren't the dust bin men aware that the bin was heavy?MY Thoughts and prayers are with the family.
- Angelina, London, 21/07/2009 22:40
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