Poisoned by Novichok: CCTV shows ex-spy and daughter slumped on bench after exposure to Russian nerve agent
15 October 2024, 11:39 | Updated: 15 October 2024, 12:21
Never-before-seen CCTV footage has emerged showing former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia slumped on a park bench after being poisoned by Novichok in a plot blamed on Vladimir Putin.
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At a public inquiry launched after the death of Dawn Sturgess, who was an ‘innocent victim caught in the crossfire of an illegal and outrageous assassination attempt,’ CCTV was shown of Skripal and his daughter visibly ill on a park bench in Salisbury moments after feeding the ducks in a nearby lake and sharing bread with children close to a play area.
After the poisoning in 2018, three children were rushed to hospital after taking bread from Skripal to feed ducks in the Salisbury park where the double agent was found poisoned along with his daughter.
The Met Police's counter terrorism command, Dominic Murphy told the inquiry today it was the first identified use of a chemical weapon in the UK as a tool to "conduct an assassination".
"Having worked on the [Alexander] Litvinenko investigation, I understood quite quickly how significant this would be, and how completely challenging it would be," he adds.
"This really was an unprecedented investigation - not one we've seen before - but one we were able to apply our existing operational processes in order to respond."
Mr Skripal is thought to have given the children - all boys - bread to throw into the river in Avon Playground, but one of the boys was reported to have eaten the slice handed to him.
A security source said at the time: “To try to kill Skripal is one thing, but now it seems children may have been caught up in it.”
The children were eventually given the all-clear.
Read more: Heartbreaking CCTV footage shows final moments of Dawn Sturgess before Novichok poisoning
The nerve agent used to poison the Skripals had been hidden in a perfume bottle that was later given to Dawn Sturgess as a gift. The inquest heard that the bottle contained enough Novichok to kill thousands of people.
Yesterday a statement from Sergei Skripal was shown to the inquiry alleging Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for the poisonings. He said it was his "private opinion."
Russia has denied any involvement and has described the inquiry as a ‘circus’.
An expert told the inquiry today that when medics arrived at the home of Charlie Rowley in June 2018 the victims were suffering breathing problems and were ‘completely incoherent.’
They were said to be suffering from "excessive drooling, sweating and were unresponsive" and were making "really weird noises", emergency service communications said.
Mr Rowley survived but Dawn Sturgess died from the nerve agent.
Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and then-police officer Nick Bailey, were also poisoned in Salisbury in March of 2018.
Dawn, 44, died after she was exposed to the chemical weapon, which was left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018.
Dawn's mother told the inquiry: "Now, she would have been a grandmother but she will never have the absolute joy of meeting her first grandchild and doesn't get to watch her grow.
"She was an intelligent, funny, extremely selfless and very kind person.
"She always cared deeply for her family and many friends that surrounded her.
"She did not judge a single person and strived to make others happy, even when she didn't feel like smiling herself."
Addressing the last time she spoke to her daughter, Ms Sturgess continued: "I last spoke to my daughter on the evening before the incident.
"We spoke at length about the excitement she felt at the prospect of finally leaving the hostel and living independently once more.
"The final part of our conversation that night was discussing taking Dawn's daughter to her the following day to spend time together. She was to ring me in the morning with a confirmed time for me to drop her off.
"It was pure chance that Dawn had sprayed herself with the Novichok before her daughter arrived.
"Dawn's death was a tragedy to us all but the fact that her daughter was not killed as well is a solace that we often revisit."
Ms Sturgess told the inquiry her daughter's main priority was the welfare of her children and she always greeted her youngest daughter "on her knees so she could run into her arms".
She said: "Dawn was raised in a normal, loving, caring family in a village where most knew each other, and where the majority of our family still live today.
"Her circumstances escalated to her living in John Baker House for the last two years of her life."Dawn grasped this opportunity to address her issues, she was excited that it would be a new starting block for a fresh chapter. She remained in constant contact and was totally supported by us all.
"Dawn's main priority continued to be the welfare of her children. Her youngest - still in primary school - was always very excited to see her mum; I tried to take her in to see her as much as possible.
"They loved spending quality time together. Dawn always greeted her in the same manner - on her knees so she could run into her arms."
Concluding her statement, Ms Sturgess said: "We understand that the perfume bottle contained enough Novichok to kill thousands of people.
"Again, although we are devastated by her death, our family find comfort that Dawn was the only life lost that day when the potential harm was much, much more.
"We know she would agree."
