Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was under intense pressure last night after the widow of David Kelly told how the Iraq weapons expert felt "totally let down and betrayed" by the Ministry of Defence for allowing his name to be made public.

In poignant evidence to the Hutton Inquiry into her husband's death, Janice Kelly attacked the way he had been unmasked as the source for BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan's dossier story, despite receiving assurances from his MoD bosses that he would remain anonymous.

Mrs Kelly, giving evidence via an audio link from a nearby room, said her husband appeared to have a "broken heart" by July 17, the last day she saw him alive.

Physically sick with concern for him as they ate a final lunch of sandwiches and water at home, Mrs Kelly noticed how the dignified father-of-three had "shrunk into himself" - although she had no idea that he would apparently take his own life hours later.

Dr Kelly's body was discovered the next morning in nearby woodland. He had slit his wrist with a boy scout knife he had kept since childhood.

The inquiry heard how a week earlier, on the evening of July 9, Dr Kelly and his wife Janice were given a "five minute warning" by the MoD to flee their Oxfordshire farmhouse after the ministry confirmed to journalists that he was the suspected source.

As the couple frantically packed their bags to escape media attention, Dr Kelly became upset because he had "received assurances" from his MoD bosses that his name would not be put into the public domain, Mrs Kelly told the inquiry.

Dr Kelly referred to this feeling of betrayal on a number of occasions, she said.

"He said several times over coffee, over lunch, over afternoon tea that he felt totally let down and betrayed," the widow said.

Dr Kelly's line manager, Bryan Wells, and the MoD personnel director, Richard Hatfield, who had interviewed the scientist after he had come forward as the possible source, had assured her husband his identity would be protected, she added.

The couple's 30-year-old daughter, Rachel, issued a moving plea apparently directed at those within Downing Street, the MoD, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the media who had been involved in events leading up to Dr Kelly's death.

Summing up her own evidence to the inquiry, her voice trembled with emotion as she said: "My heartfelt wish is that as a result of your inquiry, my Lord, that people will learn from the circumstances surrounding my father's death and show more compassion and kindness in future to those around them."

Miss Kelly also revealed how her father appeared to "jump" at the mention of Alastair Campbell's name, during a walk on July 5, ten days before his death.

Miss Kelly and her mother both told how they noticed a change in the scientist by the beginning of July.

Dr Kelly had informed his manager on June 30 that he suspected he might be the source of Mr Gilligan's Today programme report on May 29, which accused No 10 of "sexing up" its dossier on Iraq's banned weapons and which had resulted in the furious row between the BBC and Downing Street.

After being interviewed by his MoD bosses on July 4 and again on July 8, he told his wife that although he had been reprimanded, they were "not unsupportive".

The MoD issued a Press statement on July 8 to say that an official working for them had come forward.

That evening, Dr Kelly appeared reluctant to watch the news.

Mrs Kelly said: "The main story was a source had identified itself. Immediately David said to me: 'It's me'.

"My reaction was total dismay. My heart sank. I was terribly worried because I knew then he was aware his name would be in the public domain quite soon.

"He didn't like his name being in the public domain. He didn't like becoming the story."

While the couple sought refuge from the media with friends in Cornwall on July 10, Dr Kelly learnt that he was being put forward to appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) at a public, televised hearing.

Dr Kelly went "ballistic" at this. "He felt it would be a kind of continuation of a kind of reprimand into the public domain," she said.

By Saturday, July 12, Dr Kelly was becoming more and more anxious about the hearing, as well as a second, private appearance before the Intelligence and Security Committee. "It was a very grim time for both of us," said Mrs Kelly.

"I have never, in all the Russian visits and all the difficulties he had in Iraq - where he had lots of discomforts, lots of horrors, guns pointing at him, munitions left lying around - I had never known him to be as unhappy as he was then."

Dr Kelly appeared before the FAC on Tuesday, July 15.

Miss Kelly told the inquiry that her father described the Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay as an "utter bastard" because of the manner of his questioning.

Mr Mackinlay had told Dr Kelly he was "chaff" and a "fall guy" for the Government.

By Thursday, July 17, Dr Kelly was back at his home, spending the morning compiling a report for the committee on his dealings with journalists.

The couple then sat down for what was to be Dr Kelly's last meal.

Mrs Kelly said: "I just thought he had a broken heart. He had shrunk into himself. But I had no idea at that stage of what he might do later, absolutely no idea at all."

The final days - Page 3

Comment - Page 10