Alexander Litvinenko: CCTV footage shows hotel meeting

CCTV footage of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko before he is said to have been given a fatal dose of poison has been shown at his inquiry.

He is seen arriving to meet contacts Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, who are suspected of poisoning him.

CCTV from London's Millennium Hotel also showed the suspects entering the toilets before Mr Litvinenko arrived.

"Extremely high readings" of a radioactive substance were found in the toilets, the inquiry heard.

Mr Litvinenko, who died of radioactive poisoning on 23 November 2006, is believed to have been given a fatal dose of polonium-210 on the first of the month.

The inquiry heard how Mr Lugovoi had arranged to see Mr Litvinenko on 2 November, but on the morning of 1 November he called the ex-KGB agent to rearrange for later that day.

Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun both deny any involvement and remain in Russia

Mr Litvinenko, who fled from Russia to seek asylum in the UK, agreed to the meeting, and went to see Mr Lugovoi after an appointment with security expert Mario Scaramella.

A CCTV still presented to the inquiry showed Mr Litvinenko in a distinctive blue denim jacket with light collar, walking with Mr Scaramella.

The inquiry heard that no traces of a radioactive substance were found on Mr Scaramella, but that there was a "high reading on one of the sleeves" of Mr Litvinenko's jacket.

Mr Litvinenko was then seen arriving in the foyer for the meeting with Mr Lugovoi and Mr Kovtun at around 16:00 GMT.

Further footage showed the two men separately using toilets near the Mayfair hotel's Pine Bar - which is not covered by CCTV - in the half-hour before Mr Litvinenko arrived.

Asked why this was significant, Detective Inspector Craig Mascall said: "Because extremely high readings were found in the men's toilets."