The final report of the Dawn Sturgess inquiry has been published, finding Russian President Vladimir Putin bears 'moral responsibility' for her death. The 44-year-old mother of three died in July 2018 after spraying what she believed to be a bottle of perfume, which actually contained enough Novichok nerve agent 'to kill thousands of people'. The incident occurred in Amesbury, Wiltshire, and followed the attempted murders of former spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and police officer Nick Bailey in nearby Salisbury in March 2018.
Professor Anthony Glees, an expert on European affairs from the University of Buckingham, has warned that further attacks on British soil are possible. Speaking to the Mirror, he said: 'Putin is a killer. He has killed tens of thousands of people in his violent and demented attempt to create a new Russian empire, and tragic Dawn Sturgess, perhaps the first British woman to be killed by him, was just a hapless innocent victim of his secret chemical warfare programme. If it happened once, it could happen again.'
The inquiry heard that Dawn's boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, had found the discarded Nina Ricci-labelled bottle in a Cancer Research charity shop bin and gifted it to her. After spritzing the perfume, Dawn felt unwell and went to lie in the bath, where Charlie found her convulsing and foaming at the mouth. She died in hospital on July 8, 2018. Charlie also fell ill after spilling some of the liquid on himself but was discharged on July 20, though he reported lasting effects including memory problems and 'peculiar dreams'.
The UK security services have blamed Russia for the attacks, and an international arrest warrant was issued for three Russian men suspected of involvement. However, extradition is unlikely due to the Russian constitution. The Kremlin has denied any involvement. Professor Glees described Dawn as 'collateral' killed by GRU officers who recklessly discarded the weapon, adding that she is 'unlikely to be the only collateral victim'.
