Ex-Russian spy and daughter may give evidence in court

Yulia and Sergei Skripal survived the murder attempt in March 2018

A former spy and his daughter, who survived a murder attempt after being poisoned by a nerve agent, may give evidence in-person at an inquiry.

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

Her death followed the attempted murder of former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and ex-police officer Nick Bailey, in Salisbury in March that same year.

All three survived after coming into contact with the poison which had been planted on Mr Skripal's front door handle.

During a preliminary hearing for the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry on Friday, the Royal Courts of Justice heard that Mr Skripal and his daughter may give oral evidence later this year.

Michael Mansfield KC, representing the family of Ms Sturgess, said this was because transcripts from police interviews with the Skripals had not been disclosed to him.

He told the court that they should therefore be provisionally on the witness list for the upcoming hearings in Salisbury.

'Potential trauma'

Mr Mansfield said they are in "less than a Twilight Zone" without the transcripts.

"It's rather dark, until we know we can't act on it," he told the court.

He also acknowledged the Skripals' "potential trauma" if they were to give evidence.

Jack Holborn, representing the Skripals, spoke of concerns over security measures for them if they were to stand as witnesses.

The government's KC, Cathryn McGahey, said the safety of the pair is "paramount".

It was also heard that lawyers representing Ms Sturgess' family may not be able to question witnesses at the substantive inquiry hearings, over fears that issues of national security and police workings may be revealed.

The family want to investigate the quality of care she received before her death.

Inquiry hearings are due to begin in October.