Family of Brit killed in poisoning take ‘consolation’ that ‘1000’s’ did not die

The “devastated” mum of Novichok poisoning victim Dawn Sturgess said it gave the family “comfort” that only she had died when “thousands” could have perished.

Caroline Sturgess said it was of “solace” that her daughter Dawn’s own child escaped unscathed. Dawn, 44, unwittingly sprayed herself with the military-grade nerve agent in the mistaken belief it was perfume while her own daughter was not present.

Caroline told an inquiry into the 2018 poisonings in Salisbury, Wilts, which the Government believes was masterminded by Russian president Vladimir Putin, that the “potential harm was much, much more”.

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The family wants the Russian despot summoned to the inquiry to explain his role but officials said they had no power to grant the request.

“We understand that the perfume bottle contained enough Novichok to kill thousands of people,’’ Caroline said.

“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.’’

She added: “It was pure chance that Dawn had sprayed herself with the Novichok before her daughter arrived. Dawn’s 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.”

Dawn, 44, died after spraying Novichok on her hands from a Nina Ricci Premier Jour perfume bottle given to her boyfriend Charlie Rowley.

Unbeknown to him the bottle had been used by a Russian hit squad to smuggle poison into the UK to smear on spy Sergei Skripal’s doorknob four months earlier. Sergei, 72, his daughter Yulia, 39, and investigating police officer Nick Bailey were all poisoned but lived.

After the botched hit, the assassins dumped the poisoned bottle which was found by Charlie, 51, who gave it to Dawn as a gift. Within minutes of applying it her heart began to fail – starving her brain of oxygen.

She was revived by paramedics but died eight days later in hospital from an unsurvivable brain injury. An inquiry is being held to determine if the government failed to safeguard the public from the nerve agent and if the bottle should have been found sooner to protect from “collateral damage” of the attack.

Caroline said her family took comfort from the fact her “intelligent, extremely selfless and very kind” daughter was the only one to die after an assassination bid Sergei believes was ordered by Putin.

Three Russian agents have been charged with carrying out the attack though are never likely to stand trial after fleeing to their homeland. The inquiry continues.

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