Mother of Novichok victim Dawn Sturgess says family took 'comfort' that she was only person killed by nerve agent - as she pays tribute to 'selfless' daughter
The mother of Salisbury poisonings victim Dawn Sturgess said today that her family found comfort that she was the only person to be killed by the Russian nerve agent Novichok when the potential harm was much, much more.
The mother of Salisbury poisonings victim Dawn Sturgess said today that her family found comfort that she was the only person to be killed by the Russian nerve agent Novichok when the potential harm was much, much more.
Caroline Sturgess paid tribute to her daughter at the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry today, describing her as an intelligent ... extremely selfless and very kind person.
She also read a short statement from Dawns daughter, who cannot be named, who said she never got the chance to say goodbye to her mother due to her age.
Ms Sturgess told the inquiry that it is a solace to her family that Dawns daughter was not killed in the incident. Dawn, 44, died after she was exposed to the chemical weapon, left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018.
It followed the attempted murders of ex-spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and then-police officer Nick Bailey, who were poisoned in Salisbury in March that year.
Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after she was exposed to the Russian nerve agent Novichok, which was left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018
Caroline Sturgess paid tribute to her daughter at the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry this morning
Police officers in July 2018 at the home of Charlie Rowley in Amesbury, Wiltshire, who - along with his partner Dawn Sturgess - was exposed to the deadly nerve agent Novichok
A photo of Dawn Sturgess issued by the Home Office earlier this month ahead of the inquiry
All three survived, as did Ms Sturgesss boyfriend Charlie Rowley, who had unwittingly given her the bottle containing the killer nerve agent.
Giving a short statement to the inquiry from the witness box, Dawns mother said: Now, she would have been a grandmother but she will never have the absolute joy of meeting her first grandchild and doesnt 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 didnt 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.
CCTV shows former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia happily strolling around Salisbury on March 4, 2018 - utterly unaware they had been poisoned with Novichok. This image was taken at 3.35pm on March 4
1.15PM, MARCH 4: The former Russian spy holds his head as he begins to feel the affects of the poison
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 Dawns 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. Dawns 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 daughters 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.
1.42PM - 1.45PM: Mr Skripal is seen handing bread to a child to feed the ducks with
JUNE 29: Other CCTV images showed Dawn Sturgess enjoying a day of shopping in Salisbury. She was poisoned a day later and died on July 8
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.
Dawns 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.
1.45PM: The Skripals walk into the Bishops Mill pub in Salisbury
2.15PM: The father and daughter leave the Bishops Mill
Ms Sturgess also read a statement from Dawns daughter, who said they had a bond that I will never forget.
She said: The day I heard she had fallen really ill was heartbreaking to hear. In my mind I thought she would push through it because there was nothing my mum couldnt handle.
The day I heard everyone go to say their goodbyes when she was in intensive care was so upsetting. Shortly after, she passed away. One thing I will never forget is due to my age I never saw her or got to say goodbye.
Also today, Wiltshire Polices Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills apologised to Dawns family after internal force documents suggested she was a known drug user.
Mr Mills said there were reasons to suspect that she may have become unwell due to her association with drugs, but added that there was no police intelligence that she was a drug user.
3.37pm - 4.15pm: The pair on a bench where they began to fall ill from the highly toxic substance
MARCH 3, 2.50pm: Suspected Russian assassins Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov walk south along Salisburys India Road
He told the inquiry: These are documents that were created post-incident - there werent existing records prior to these instances, but on two occasions there are documents which refer to them both collectively as known drug users.
That is correct in relation to Charlie Rowley, but is not correct in relation to Dawn Sturgess.
There were indeed reasons to suspect that she may have become unwell due to her association with drugs, but notwithstanding that, there was no police intelligence that she was a drug user.
In relation to that, I would like to, on behalf of the chief constable and Wiltshire Police, apologise for that internal error to the family - I can only try and understand the impact of that further to their loss.
Mr Mills also told the inquiry that police were initially treating Dawns poisoning as a drugs overdose, then a drugs overdose with potential pesticide poisoning, which was referred to as a bad batch incident.
MARCH 4, 1.35PM: The Skripals drive their BMW along Devizes Road
MARCH 4, 1.40PM: Petrov and Boshirov on Devizes Road five minutes later - suggesting the Skripals may have driven by them
He said he was informed on Monday July 2, 2018 by the on-call superintendent, two days after Dawn and Mr Rowley were taken to hospital, that two people were in hospital seriously unwell, and initially the hypothesis was one that it had been a drugs overdose, then it had developed to be a drugs overdose where there was potential pesticide poisoning, which is commonly referred to as a bad batch incident.
Samples had been sent off as a precaution, then the next day he received an update and was told the testing had come back and it indicated Novichok, he said.
In addition, Mr Mills told the inquiry that in hindsight it would have been sensible to put advice and guidance out after being asked whether officers should have been advised to be particularly alert to any signs of nerve agent poisoning after the Skripals were poisoned in March 2018.
Francesca Whitelaw KC, counsel to the inquiry, put to him that the item used to deliver the poisoning in the Skripal poisoning had not been located at the time of Dawns poisoning, to which he replied no, they hadnt.
She then said he did not know in June or July 2018 if there was a vessel that had been discarded in or around Salisbury or Wiltshire or in the country, and he said we did not know.
The doorknob of Mr Skripals home, which the Novichok is believed to have been smeared on
Ms Whitelaw asked if he agreed in those circumstances that Wiltshire Police officers ought to have been advised to be particularly alert to any signs of nerve agent poisoning from March 2018 onwards.
Mr Mills said: What had been formulated by the National CBRN Centre was advice which had gone out to what are called CT commanders and CT tactical advisers that had been put in place in March post the Skripal attack and gave an overview, said that it was an isolated incident, was the intelligence, and there wasnt believed to be a further risk, however did give some information in relation to signs and symptoms of Novichok and reaffirmed what our standing protocols around what a CBRN response would look like, and also gave information around contacting the national CBRN centre, which sits across the fire service, the police service, and the ambulance service, and is there to provide advice and guidance, so thats the national element.
From a local level, yes, I absolutely reflect that we didnt put anything further out, clearly police officers are trained in relation to generic responses, but I do believe in hindsight it wouldve been sensible just to put some advice and guidance out, just confirming that which was already there.
The inquiry continues.
