What were the Salisbury Poisonings? Inquiry opens into Novichok death

14 October 2024, 08:29 | Updated: 14 October 2024, 09:03

The inquiry into how a British woman was fatally poisoned after being exposed to the Russian nerve agent is set to open today.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after being exposed to Novichok which was left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018.

It followed the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and then police officer Nick Bailey, who were poisoned in nearby Salisbury in March that year.

They were poisoned when members of a Russian military intelligence squad are believed to have smeared the nerve agent on Mr Skripal's door handle.

All three survived, as did Ms Sturgess's boyfriend Charlie Rowley, who had unwittingly given her the bottle containing the killer nerve agent.

The public inquiry will hear from Ms Sturgess's family and hear evidence suggesting Moscow carried out the attack - which it denies.

The Salisbury Novichok poisonings: A timeline of events as third Russian is charged

An international arrest warrant was issued for three Russian men thought to be involved in the attacks on British soil, but as the Russian constitution does not allow the extradition of its citizens it is unlikely they will ever stand trial.

Two suspects gave an interview with Russian state media in which they said they were only in the UK, briefly, to visit Salisbury Cathedral.

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In June, a preliminary hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice heard that the Sturgess family wanted the Skripals to give oral evidence to address "unanswered questions".

It was previously revealed that the Skripals will not give evidence at the inquiry over fears for their safety.

At a preliminary hearing earlier this year, Jack Holborn, representing the Skripals, spoke of concerns over security measures for them if they give evidence, as well as the potential "distress" of appearing in court.

The Government's KC, Cathryn McGahey told the hearing: "The safety of the Skripals is paramount."

It comes as Wiltshire Police said people in Salisbury city centre can expect to see an increased police presence for the duration of the hearing.

They added that there is "no current intelligence to suggest there is any risk to the wider public".

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: "Residents will see an increased, but proportionate policing presence in, and around, Salisbury city centre and the Guildhall while the inquiry sits here.

"This is a precautionary measure only, with nothing to suggest any wider risk to our communities, to enable Wiltshire Police to keep all our communities safe."

They were, however, excused from doing so in a subsequent ruling, with the relevant judgment citing an "overwhelming risk" of another physical attack on their lives.

The then-Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered that the inquest into Ms Sturgess's death be converted into a public inquiry in 2021.

The Dawn Sturgess Inquiry, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Lord Hughes of Ombersley, is due to begin at The Guildhall in Salisbury on Monday.

The Novichok poisoning caused the UK to expel 23 Russian diplomats, calling the incident an "unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the UK".

The UK, US, Germany and France issued a joint statement blaming Russia for the attack.

Then, Russia expelled 23 UK diplomats. The US then expelled 60 Russian diplomats.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said there is "nothing criminal" about Petrov and Boshirov - the two accused of perpetrating the attack.

'Justice is unlikely'

Former Prime Minister Theresa May previously said "justice is unlikely" for the victims of the attacks.

Baroness May also told the BBC's Crime Next Door: Salisbury Poisonings podcast, that the Russians accused of executing the attack acted with "utter recklessness".

"You felt they just didn't care about anything," she said.

Salisbury poisonings: Third man faces charges for Novichok attack

Back in August 2020, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was treated in hospital in Germany after it was suspected he was poisoned with Novichok.

He had been poisoned with the substance in 2020, falling ill on a plane flight.

He was treated in Germany but chose to go back to Russia to continue his fight against the Kremlin regime.

Watch again: Nick Ferrari interviews the Russian Ambassador