A major public inquiry into the death of a Wiltshire woman poisoned by a Russian nerve agent is poised to deliver sharp criticism of MI5, accusing the security service of leaving a former spy as a "sitting duck" for a Kremlin assassination attempt.
The Amesbury Novichok Tragedy
The inquiry, which publishes its findings today, centres on the death of 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess in July 2018. Ms Sturgess died after coming into contact with the military-grade nerve agent Novichok, which was hidden inside a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury.
This same chemical weapon had been used months earlier in the attempted murder of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and police officer Nick Bailey in nearby Salisbury. The inquiry has heard that the perfume bottle contained enough Novichok to kill thousands of people.
Security Failures and Preventable Death
According to reports, the inquiry's conclusions will state that Ms Sturgess's death was "preventable" had UK authorities implemented adequate protective measures for Mr Skripal after he resettled in Britain. The former GRU officer, convicted of spying for the UK in 2004, was freed in a prisoner swap in 2010 and moved to Salisbury.
In powerful closing submissions, Michael Mansfield KC, representing Ms Sturgess's family, argued the poisonings resulted from an "abject failure" by the government. He stated this failure granted Russian agents "alarming access" to their target, Mr Skripal, who has said he believes President Vladimir Putin personally ordered the attack.
Scope and Significance of the Inquiry
The investigation was ordered by the then-home secretary, Priti Patel, in 2021, converting an inquest into a full public inquiry. Chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Lord Hughes of Ombersley, it held extensive public hearings between October and December last year.
Its imminent publication marks a significant moment in understanding the chain of events that led from the targeted attack on a former spy to the tragic, unintended death of an innocent British citizen. The findings are expected to raise serious questions about the protocols for protecting individuals deemed at risk from hostile state actions on UK soil.
