Russian spy poisoning: Salisbury Novichok house to go up for sale

The former home of Sergei Skripal is to be bought by the local council

The house at the centre of the Novichok poisonings in Salisbury is to be put up for sale.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were hospitalised after the nerve agent was smeared on the door handle of his home in Christie Miller Road in March 2018.

Wiltshire Council said the home has been "totally decontaminated" and would go on the market early next year.

Only people with a Salisbury connection will be eligible to buy it.

The council's cabinet member for housing, Phil Alford, said: "All options were considered, and also discussed with local residents, before deciding on the best option for the future of this property.

"We're pleased that this property, located in a lovely area, will hopefully once again become a place that a family can call home where new, happier memories can be created."

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia survived the poisoning attempt

Prospective purchasers will be told that Mr Skripal used to live in the home and that it was decontaminated and confirmed clean by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Renovation and refitting of the property is due to be complete in early 2023.

The home will be advertised at a fixed price of £93,750, which is 25% of the open market value, with rent for the remaining equity at £148.22 per week, the council said.

Mr Skripal and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in the Maltings area of Salisbury but survived the attack.

Later, mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after she came into contact with a perfume bottle thought to have been used to store the nerve agent and then discarded.

Her partner, Charlie Rowley, was left seriously ill but recovered.

Dawn Sturgess died after finding a bottle containing the Novichok

The flat in Amesbury where Ms Sturgess was fatally poisoned was demolished in 2020.

Police officer Det Sgt Nick Bailey was also contaminated with the nerve agent at the Skripal's home, where it had been sprayed on the door handle, and needed hospital treatment.

The military-grade nerve agent was developed by the Soviet Union in the Cold War.

Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Mr Skripal with the Novichok, while a third man is believed to have commanded the attack.

Thought to be from the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU, the two men were caught on CCTV in Salisbury the day before the attack.

A public inquiry into the incident is scheduled to begin next year.