“In light of the required seniority under Russian law to approve assassinations of suspected terrorists outside Russia, and that this incident concerned a politically sensitive target – Skripal was a UK citizen, and was targeted on UK soil – it is HMG’s view that Putin authorised the operation,” he told the inquiry.
The inquiry was also told that Sturgess’ family deserved to know if mistakes were made in protecting Skripal that might have led to her death.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, who were targeted by Russian agents with Novichok in 2018. While they both eventually recovered, two Britons also fell sick from exposure to the chemical, one of whom died.Credit: Getty/Photo treatment: Michael Howard
Michael Mansfield KC, counsel for Sturgess’ family, accused the government of failing to take any steps “to mitigate the threats to Skripal emanating from Russia”, with no attempt to hide his address or protect their property from intruders.
It emerged that Skripal turned down suggestions by British intelligence that he change his name to protect his identity because he felt safe in Salisbury.
In his statement, he said: “I believe I was offered protection, including changing my name. It was never suggested that this was a necessary option and I decided against it.
“I had received a presidential pardon from the Russian state and wanted to lead as normal a life as possible, including maintaining my personal and family relationships.”
Loading
He added: “I did not think, and it was not suggested, that I needed to live in a gated community or a block of flats.
“Christie Miller Road was a quiet street built for police officers. Several neighbours were ex-police. Residents knew and kept an eye out for each other. I felt quite safe there.”
Neither he nor his daughter Yulia, who have been given false identities, will appear in person to give evidence because of continued fears for their safety.
Loading
In his opening remarks, Andrew O’Connor KC, counsel for the inquiry, said the hearing would need to examine whether enough was done to protect the former spy.
He said: “A question Dawn Sturgess’ family are particularly concerned that [the inquiry] should investigate… is it possible that mistakes were made in protecting Sergei Skripal that might indirectly have contributed to [her] death?”
The inquiry was shown CCTV stills of the Skripals leaving their home after coming into contact with the poison and visiting the centre of Salisbury before collapsing on a riverside bench two hours later from the effects of Novichok.
Both the Skripals survived, as did police officer Nick Bailey, who attended the Skripals’ home, and Rowley, who had unwittingly given Sturgess the bottle containing the killer nerve agent thinking it was a bottle of Nina Ricci Premier Jour perfume.
O’Connor KC said: “A particularly shocking feature of Dawn’s death is that she unwittingly applied the poison to her own skin.
“She was entirely unaware of the mortal danger she faced because the highly toxic liquid had been concealed – carefully and deliberately concealed – inside a perfume bottle.
“Moreover, the evidence will suggest that this bottle – which we shall hear contained enough poison to kill thousands of people – must earlier have been left somewhere in a public place creating the obvious risk that someone would find it and take it home.
“You may conclude, sir, that those who discarded the bottle in this way acted with a grotesque disregard for human life.”
The inquiry heard that local police had to rely on Wikipedia for information in its response to the poisonings.
Loading
Mansfield said disclosed documents revealed public health bodies were concerned over the “lack of clarity on how to secure essential scientific advice” in the early stages of the attack.
He said: “[One] report records that the most comprehensive source of information to local police was Wikipedia.”
As Sturgess’ parents Stan and Caroline followed the proceedings from the front row of the inquiry’s public gallery, the hearing heard how their daughter had managed to turn her life around before she was cruelly struck down by the poison.
Sturgess had struggled with alcohol while Rowley had problems with substance abuse, but their relationship appeared to have given them the strength to overcome their dependency.
O’Connor said: “Her family recall that, in the months and weeks before her death, Dawn was showing signs of improvement in her health and wellbeing.”
CCTV images shown to the public inquiry captured the two Russian agents walking towards the Skripals’ home on the edge of Salisbury on March 4, 2018.
The cameras did not capture their movements past the house, but it showed them emerging on to a nearby main road and returning towards the city centre.
At one stage the pair again disappeared from camera range, after entering a lane and before emerging 30 minutes later and making their way towards the rail station.
The inquiry will be required to consider highly confidential material which Lord Hughes of Ombersley, the inquiry chairman and former Supreme Court judge, has deemed will impact on national security and can only be examined in closed hearings, on grounds of national security.
A member of the GRU – Russian military intelligence – Skripal was convicted by a Russian court in 2004 of spying for Britain.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison, but was given a presidential pardon in 2010 and brought to the UK on a prisoner exchange.
Eight days after Sturgess was poisoned, her parents Stan and Caroline took the difficult decision to agree to her life support being turned off.
They were not allowed to touch her coffin, such was the potential danger of the Novichok which killed her.
In a moving account of her last few hours, the inquiry was told how Sturgess had to be cremated, against her family’s wishes.
Loading
Caroline Sturgess said before the opening of the inquiry: “What happened to Dawn was so, so sad. It was just awful. It’s been so difficult. It’s been so long and there are so many questions that still haven’t been answered.”
Sturgess’ family asked the inquiry to call Putin to give evidence about his part in the plot.
Adam Straw KC, counsel to the Sturgess family and Rowley, told the inquiry: “He [Putin] should not cower behind the walls of the Kremlin. He should look Dawn’s family in the eyes and answer the evidence against him.”
