THE death of Dr David Kelly might have been avoided if the BBC had apologised at the outset, according to a friend of the weapons inspector.

Professor Alastair Hay, of Arthington, was in contact with Dr Kelly just hours before the scientist disappeared.

And this week he hit out at the BBC and the Government for their actions in the run up to his friend's death.

Dr Kelly went missing on July 17 after being caught in the middle of a row between the Government and the BBC over allegations that Downing Street had 'sexed up' a dossier on Iraq.

The scientist had told his wife Janice he was going for a walk. His body was found by police when he failed to return.

This week the Hutton inquiry has heard evidence from Mrs Kelly about the unbearable pressure her husband was placed under in the wake of the BBC report.

She said she believed he felt betrayed by the MoD because of the way he had been treated. And she told the inquiry her husband had shrunk into himself and seemed to have a broken heart.

Prof Hay, an expert in environmental toxicology, based at the University of Leeds, said: "The Government does not come out well at all because of the way Dr Kelly was used.

"All the claims of the support they had provided for him were negated by what Mrs Kelly said."

Prof Hay, who knew Dr Kelly for around eight years, believes the Government has to shoulder most of the blame for the talented scientist's tragic death.

"All along I think the BBC were right not to reveal his name. The Government seem to have adopted this strategy of trying to put pressure on the BBC to try and force them to reveal his name. Much of the government strategy resulted in Dr Kelly being used - I just think that was so wrong, so wrong."

But Prof Hay also hit out at the BBC- arguing that it should have admitted making a mistake right at the outset.

"I am sorry that the BBC did not apologise at the beginning and say that the claim that the Government knowingly included information which was false was wrong.

"It might have avoided an awful lot. I am sure it would have avoided this whole controversy. I think the BBC should have apologised very early on - not for saying the 45 minute claim was wrong - a lot of the intelligence suggests the evidence may have been questionable.

"But to say it was included in the dossier with the Government knowing it was wrong has left the BBC a bit vulnerable."

He insisted: "I am absolutely convinced Dr Kelly was just correcting aspects of the dossier.

"He clearly didn't have a problem with the majority of it and he actually contributed to it. I think he was just concerned about some bits of it which he felt were making more of some intelligence than was warranted.

Prof Hay, who has himself carried out research into Iraq's weapons, said Dr Kelly was authorised to brief the press.

"He was sanctioned to brief, and he did it very well. He was extremely knowledgeable."

Prof Hay tried to contact his friend after he became caught up in the storm of publicity. He said: "I tried to phone him but at the time I phoned he must have left for Cornwall.

"So I sent him an e-mail the day before he appeared before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee just wishing him well and offering my best wishes. I was really worried when I saw him before the committee. He looked very, very uncomfortable and not in control.

"He replied the day he went missing, thanking me for my email and saying he was hoping it would all be over soon and he could get to Bhagdad and get on with some work."

Prof Hay, whose wife, Wendy, committed suicide last year after taking the anti-depressant Prozac, said he had no warning in Dr Kelly's e-mail of what was to happen.

"I didn't get any clues whatever from it. I was just reassured that he had responded to my e-mail. But I knew all too well that when someone is in that state of being worn down, unless they actually tell you what is going on you just don't know.

"It can seem in the end to someone in that state that it will cause less problems for everybody - particularly the family - if they were not around.

"It is so misguided, but people are not thinking straight and they cannot be blamed for their actions."