Family call for Putin to give evidence at Novichok inquiry

Summary

A public inquiry has begun in Salisbury to examine the 2018 poisoning of Dawn Sturgess
It has heard she was the innocent victim "in the crossfire of an illegal and outrageous assassination attempt"
Sturgess' death was blamed on two Russian agents after she came into contact with the nerve agent Novichok
Novichok victim and former Russian spy Sergei Skripal says Vladimir Putin is behind the poisonings
The family of Dawn Sturgess has called for Putin to give evidence at the inquiry and look the "family in the eyes"
The nerve agent had been hidden inside a designer perfume bottle that held enough Novichok to kill thousands
Russia denies any involvement and has described the inquiry as a "circus"
Find out more about the inquiry in our Crime Next Door: Salisbury Poisonings podcast on BBC Sounds

Live Reporting

Edited by Chris Kelly and James Harness

Family representative says Dawn Sturgess did not recover consciousness before she diedpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time
Image source, Crown Copyright
Image caption,
Adam Straw KC, represents the Sturgess family in the inquiry
The inquiry resumes as Andrew O’Connor KC gets to his feet.
The barrister completes his opening statement and goes over formalities about when the rest of the hearings will take place.
Some evidence, he says, will be heard in private “closed hearings” for security purposes, and some witnesses will also be allowed to give testimony anonymously.
These measures, O’Connor stresses, are “limited” and won’t impact greatly on the need for transparency.
Next Adam Straw KC - the lawyer representing the Sturgess family - steps up and sets out a statement made on their behalf.
He recounts the details that we heard earlier, about how Dawn Sturgess applied the Novichok poison mistakenly by spraying a liquid from a perfume bottle on herself, before falling ill.
Straw describes how Sturgess was placed into a coma after being rushed to hospital, and never recovered consciousness before she died.
The lawyer then moves onto how Dawn's partner Charlie Rowley came into contact with Novichok after firstly spilling it on himself - which he washed off - before later becoming re-contaminated when he entered their property.
The inquiry hears how Rowley now has “problems with his legs, vision, balance and memory” as a result of being poisoned.
The key question: Was the death of Dawn Sturgess preventable?published at 14:37 British Summer Time
Dan O'Brien
Reporting from the inquiry
Today’s opening session hasn’t been calling witnesses - it has been setting out the key questions for the inquiry to address.
What were the exact circumstances of Dawn’s death; how closely can that perfume bottle and the Novichok within it be linked with certainty to the attack on the Skripals four months earlier; what evidence is there to attribute responsibility for that attack; could Dawn’s medical treatment have been any different?
Ultimately, in the words of the lead counsel Andrew O’Connor KC, “was the poisoning of Dawn Sturgess preventable?”
This morning we were presented with CCTV images never previously seen of the Skripals and their movements around Salisbury on the day they became ill; of the suspected Russian GRU agents walking around Salisbury; and of Dawn herself on the day she was given the perfume bottle months later, wearing a sun hat and pink dress.
The Inquiry was also shown transcripts of Sergei Skripal’s police interview taken during his time in Salisbury District Hospital, as well as an updated statement he has made for this inquiry, in which he clearly believes Putin himself is ultimately responsible for the attack.
Will the inquiry hear enough evidence to come to the same view?
Inquiry back and resuming shortlypublished at 14:27 British Summer Time
Image source, Crown Copyright
The inquiry is just returning from its lunch break, and is resuming now.Follow along with us here, and you can also watch proceedings by pressing Watch live at the top of the page.
Stay with us for the key moments and analysis.
Watch: Theresa May hopes the inquiry 'gets to the truth'published at 14:09 British Summer Time
Former British Prime Minister, Theresa May, tells the BBC she hopes that the inquiry will bring truth to the friends and family of Dawn Sturgess.
Speaking on Crime Next Door: The Salisbury Poisonings podcast, May says the suspects have "evaded justice".
Media caption,
Theresa May: "I hope family and friends of Dawn Sturgess will feel it got to the truth"
What have we heard so far this morning?published at 14:01 British Summer Time
- Dawn Sturgess, 44, was born in Salisbury, and had three children and "a close and supportive family and also a strong network of friends"
- She was an "innocent victim" caught in the crossfire of an "illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt", said Andrew O'Connor KC, the inquiry lawyer. "It's no exaggeration to say the circumstances of Dawn Sturgess' death were extraordinary," he added
- Sturgess had applied a deadly nerve agent called Novichok to herself, thinking that it was a bottle of perfume. O'Connor said the bottle had enough poison to kill thousands of people
- She suffered from heart failure, but brain damage sustained from a lack of oxygen was the "immediate cause" of her death
- Her death came four months after a man called Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were also poisoned with Novichok in Salisbury
- Skripal was a man in his 60s, with a Russian military background. His daughter, Yulia, had travelled from Russia to visit her father
- Speaking to the inquiry, Sergei Skripal claimed that Russian president Vladimir Putin was behind the poisonings
- ·A letter from former UK national security adviser, Mark Sedwill, written in April 2018 says: "Only Russia has the technical means, operational experience and motive for the attack on Skripals"
Stay with us, the inquiry will be resuming shortly.
Skripal 'felt quite safe in Salisbury'published at 13:41 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
Before the inquiry broke for lunch we heard more from Sergei Skripal, focussing on his security arrangements prior to the March 2018 poisoning.
He says "my life was normal" around the time of the attack.
He says he did not know which organisations in the UK were in charge of his security, but that he believes there were "some precautions in place".
Skripal says he does not remember his discussions about personal security concretely, but that he wanted "to lead as normal a life as possible, including maintaining my personal and family relationships."
He says "I felt quite safe there," in his home in Salisbury. He declined CCTV as he "did not want to make my house conspicuous or live under surveillance."
O'Connor says this statement demands more answers about risk assessments and the UK Government measures surrounding him.
Inquiry taking a short breakpublished at 13:28 British Summer Time
The inquiry has adjourned for a break. It will resume at 14:15 BST.
Stay with us for further analysis, and we'll return to the inquiry when it resumes.
Inquiry to look at 'clean up and preventability' at Novichok scenepublished at 13:27 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
The counsel to the inquiry says they will also look at preventability.
He says they will examine if the bottle could have been found before Dawn Sturgess' death, and will look into the clean up exercise of the Skripal poisonings.
If the bottle of perfume was picked up shortly after the poisonings by Charlie Rowley, then it was not possible to prevent it.
But, O'Connor says, if authorities knew that there was a possibility Novichok "might have been discarded in Salisbury," they "might, perhaps should" have conducted reasonable searches and alerted the public to avoid picking up any containers that were not theirs.
O'Connor says the inquiry will look into this and see if more could have been done.
The second of the preventability issues relates to the Skripal poisonings, and whether the UK authorities "took appropriate precautions in early 2018 to protect Skripal from being attacked", O'Connor states.
Partner of Dawn Sturgess 'unclear' of where he got perfumepublished at 13:22 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
Image source, AFP
The inquiry is now discussing how the bottle that held the Novichok that affected Dawn Sturgess came into her possession. It was given to her by partner Charley Rowley.
"This is important," O'Connor says, because it led to Sturgess' death and because it will show if her death "could or should" have been prevented.
And on whether the bottle "could or should" have been found in the clean up following the Skripal incident, O'Connor says it "depends obviously on where it was and how long it stayed there".
"It is therefore unfortunate that the evidence we have on this issue is somewhat sparse," O'Connor adds.
He says Charlie Rowley was not able to "provide a clear answer" about where he got the perfume. He later said that he got it in a charity shop bin.
"We are not optimistic that we will arrive as a single, convincing explanation," the lawyer says.
Russia says UK narrative of events shows 'inconsistencies'published at 13:18 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
The inquiry is shown a document from the Russian embassy released in March 2023 about the Salisbury poisonings.
The document says it is unclear what information Britain has about the poison and it also "raises questions about the source of Novichok," O'Connor says.
It outlines "inconsistencies" in the British narrative, including how both the Skripal's fell ill at the same time and how nobody who helped them fell in.
O'Connor says the inquiry will address the issued raised.
UK government believes Putin authorised poisonings - FCOpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
The inquiry now see's evidence from Jonathan Allen, who was a director general in the UK's foreign, commonwealth and development office.
His evidence states: "In light of the required seniority under Russian law to approve assassinations of suspected terrorists outside Russia... it is HMG's [His Majesty's Government's] view that President Putin authorised the operation."
Novichok victim Skripal says Vladimir Putin is behind the poisoningspublished at 12:55 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
Image source, Crown Copyright
Image caption,
Part of a statement by Sergei Skripal, alleging Russia's involvement in his poisoning
A statement from Sergei Skripal is shown to the inquiry. He alleges Russian President Vladimir Putin is responsible for the poisonings.
"It's my private opinion," a police interview transcript shows Skripal as saying.
Sergei and Yulia Skripal will not give live evidence to the public inquiry, due to concerns for their safety.
Image source, .
Inquiry shown suspects in Russian TV interviewpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
More questions now, outlined by Andrew O'Connor, counsel to the inquiry.
He says there is much for the chair to consider about the actions of Russians Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov on 4 March 2018 - the men the UK say are responsible for the poisonings.
"Did they place Novichok on Sergei Skripal's door handle," on the first of their trips to the area that morning, O'Connor asks.
"Was the perfume bottle that Charlie Rowley gave to Dawn Sturgess months later, with such terrible consequences brought to Salisbury on that Sunday morning by these two men?" O'Connor asks.
Image source, Crown Copyright
Image caption,
Two men claiming to be Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov speaking on Russia Today
The inquiry is shown part of an interview given on Russian state TV by Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov after the poisonings.
In it, the two men say these are their real names - the UK says this is not true and the men are Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin.
They say they went to Salisbury as tourists, after friends told them to visit. They blame bad weather as the reason they visited the city twice from London over the two days in March.
When asked in the interview if they had the nerve agent with them, Petrov says "it's absurd".
'Was it an entirely innocent day trip, or was it something more sinister?' - O'Connorpublished at 12:37 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
Image source, Crown Copyright
Image caption,
A map shown to the inquiry tracks the movements of two of the suspects
The inquiry is now shown a map of Salisbury by counsel Andrew O'Connor.
The map has key points - the house where Sergei Skripal lived and the train station.
On 3 March 2018, we hear that Skripal was going to the airport to meet his daughter, Yulia.
At the same time, Russians Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov arrived in Salisbury.
The map shows they went on two separate journey's on foot that day, walking around the city.
He says the inquiry chair will have to decide why they went on this trip.
"Was it an entirely innocent day trip, or was it something more sinister?" O'Connor asks.
Russian intelligence agents entered UK using alias names - O'Connorpublished at 12:28 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
Image source, Crown Copyright
Image caption,
The inquiry is shown a CCTV image of two of the suspects
Andrew O'Connor KC, counsel to the inquiry, now discusses the three men at the heart of this case.
They are Russians Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov and Sergey Fedotov.
These are aliases used when entering the country, and O'Connor says for the inquiry they will be referred to using these names.
He says the inquiry will show evidence that the men are part of the GRU - the Russian intelligence agency.
O'Connor says the inquiry will show all three men arrived in London on 2 March 2018. Petrov and Boshirov arrived together at Gatwick, Fedotov arrived in Heathrow.
The inquiry will hear of their movements around London, Salisbury, and their departure.
O'Connor says Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov made two visits to Salisbury. The evidence on this will be of "critical importance," the lawyer says.
Russia 'highly likely' involved in Novichok poisoning, inquiry hearspublished at 12:19 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
The inquiry counsel discusses the accusations from the UK that Russia is to blame.
The UK government says it is "highly likely" that Russia is responsible for the poisoning against Sergei and Yulia Skripal, O'Connor shows in evidence from a speech by former Prime Minister Theresa May.
The inquiry is then shown a letter from former UK national security adviser, Mark Sedwill, written in April 2018,
"Only Russia has the technical means, operational experience and motive for the attack on Skripals," the letter shows.
He says the inquiry will consider this "in detail".
The Russian government has responded to the poisonings, denying responsibility, the inquiry hears.
Sturgess family want to know 'why Dawn died but others survived' poisoningpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
On medical treatment now, Andrew O'Connor KC tells the inquiry we will hear from medics who provided pre-hospital care and those who cared for Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley in hospital.
He says there are more questions the Sturgess family want answered.
"They seek answers as to why Dawn died, when others who were also poisoned by Novichok... did not," O'Connor says.
They have asked if this is could be about "different treatment" that Dawn Sturgess received compared to the others who were poisoned.
They also want to know why doctors "apparently" acted on information from the police that theorised Sturgess was suffering from a drug overdose, and whether this theory "was dismissed as quickly as it could have been".
They also ask whether her treatment was informed "by lessons that had been learnt... months earlier in treating the Skripals".
Ultimately, O'Connor says, they want to know if things that might have gone wrong in treatment could have changed her likelihood of survival.
Rowley gave Sturgess 'perfume bottle' before she collapsedpublished at 12:07 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
Back to Dawn Sturgess now. At the time of the poisoning, she lived in Salisbury and her partner Charlie Rowley lived in Amesbury.
The inquiry hears that the day before the poisoning, on 29 June 2018, she spent the day with friends and Rowley in Salisbury, travelling back to Amesbury that evening.
Andrew O'Connor KC says there is plenty of evidence on this day, but there is "much less evidence, by contrast, about the crucial events" of the next morning.
The main evidence comes from the accounts given by Charlie Rowley.
O'Connor says it is on the morning of 30 June that Rowley gave Dawn Sturgess a perfume bottle. Rowley spilt some of the contents on himself during this process.
Sturgess later collapsed and was taken to hospital. Rowley collapsed later and was also taken to hospital.
Image source, Crown Copyright
Image caption,
The inquiry is shown an image of the perfume bottle Charlie Rowley gave to Dawn Sturgess
CCTV images show Skripals on day they were poisonedpublished at 12:02 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
The inquiry is now seeing CCTV evidence, showing the day that Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned.
We see them park their car in Salisbury, going to a pub, and then leaving.
Pictures are shown of them walking back through the town, and then sitting on the bench where they were later discovered in an unwell state.
An ambulance was called when the public realised they were in distress, counsel to the inquiry Andrew O'Connor says.
He adds they have "lengthy" transcripts of police interviews from the pair, after they recovered from the poisonings.
As a reminder, neither will be giving "live, oral evidence" to the inquiry, O'Connor says - this is because of a ruling by Lord Hughes, inquiry chair.
Image source, The Dawn Sturgess Inquiry
Image caption,
The Skripals walking to Zizzi in Castle Street
Sergei Skripal had 'Russian military intelligence background'published at 11:55 British Summer Time
Imogen James
Live reporter
The counsel to the inquiry is moving on now to discuss the Skripal poisoning case.
Sergei Skripal was a man in his 60s living in a "quiet cul-de-sac", in 2018, Andrew O'Connor KC says. "He was a man with an unusual past."
He was a paratrooper in the Russian army then a member of Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU, and convicted on espionage charges in 2004 in Russia.
He was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment, but was given a presidential pardon in 2010 and brought to the UK. He had lived in Salisbury since 2010.
O'Connor says the inquiry will hear about the events directly leading up to when Sergei and daughter Yulia were poisoned.