The family of Novichok victim Dawn Sturgess have released a statement following the final report from the inquiry into her death.
The 44-year-old died after being exposed to the nerve agent in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in 2018.
Here is the statement in full, read by Marcia Willis Stewart KC on behalf of Ms Sturgess’ family.
“Our heartfelt aim throughout this long process has always been to do right by our daughter, mother and sister Dawn.
“In the immediate aftermath of her death, Wiltshire Police wrongly characterised Dawn as a drug user, and the public were wrongly led to believe that she had somehow contributed to her own death.
“As the evidence at the inquiry recognised, that was a grave mistake by Wiltshire Police that should never have happened.
“The police’s incorrect assessment trumped that of the paramedics that there was a real possibility that Dawn had suffered from nerve agent poisoning. The chair has concluded that this error had the potential to put at risk other members of the public and emergency responders. We, and most importantly Dawn, have been vindicated today.
“The inquiry has concluded, that Dawn was a wholly innocent victim, killed by Novichok, as the direct result of Russia’s cruel and cynical attempt to assassinate Sergei Skripal.
“The inquiry’s report concludes that there were failures by the UK Government in the management and assessment of the risk that Russia posed to Sergei Skripal. Skripal was described by Putin as a traitor and convicted of treason. Yet there were no sufficient and regular assessments of the risk he faced from Russian retaliation.
“As we have always believed, that put the British public at risk, and led to Dawn’s death.
“The chair considered secret evidence from the Government and the UK intelligence services. Today’s report does not set out, publicly, how the risks that led to Dawn’s death will be prevented in the future.
“Adequate risk assessment of Skripal was not done, but no protective steps were put in place. That is a serious concern, for us now, and for the future.
“The inquiry’s report finds that the public health response to the Salisbury attack was deficient. Important training to emergency responders should have been more widely circulated and should have referred to the important risk that symptoms of nerve agent poisoning would be missed.
“After Dawn was killed, the public were given clear advice: do not pick up items you have not dropped. We have always believed that that advice should have been issued after the Salisbury attack, before Dawn was killed.
“The inquiry has found that that crucial advice was not properly and adequately considered before Dawn died.
“Today’s report has left us with some answers, but also a number of unanswered questions.
“We have always wanted to ensure that what happened to Dawn will not happen to others; that lessons should be learned; and that meaningful changes should made. The report today contains no recommendations.
“That is a matter of real concern. There should, there must, be reflection and real change.
“Today is the end of this public process. We remain devastated by Dawn’s death. She is missed and always will be.
“The family will not be taking any questions. We ask that our privacy is respected.”
