The inquest into the tragic death of mum Dawn Sturgess will look at the role of the Kremlin in her poisoning, the coroner said.
Dawn, 44, collapsed at her partner Charlie Rowley’s home in Amesbury, eight miles from Salisbury, on June 30 2018, when she came into contact with a perfume bottle containing the deadly nerve agent Novichok.
She died in hospital on July 8, while Mr Rowley was left seriously ill but recovered.
Her death followed the attempted poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, who were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury four months earlier.
Dawn’s family have pushed for the inquest into her death to examine the role of the Russian state and today Coroner Baroness Hallett told a pre-inquest review at the Royal Courts of Justice confirmed it would.
Police previously said there was enough evidence to charge two Russians, known as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, with offences including conspiracy to murder, over the attack on the Skripals.
But the men denied any involvement and gave a much-derided interview to state television in which they said they were only in Salisbury for a sightseeing tour of the cathedral.
Russia repeatedly denied any involvement, with President Vladimir Putin claiming the two suspects were merely civilians, not military officers.
Outlining the provisional scope of the inquest, Baroness Hallett said: “To my mind, there is very considerable force in submissions made by Mr O’Connor (Andrew O’Connor QC, counsel to the inquest) that to conduct an investigation into the death of Dawn Sturgess without investigating how Novichok got to be in Salisbury, and then in Amesbury, how or why it was brought to this country, who brought it and who directed them - this would be an incomplete and potentially misleading investigation.”
Mr O’Connor said the suspects had failed to engage with the inquest process so far, and asked for the investigation to examine wider issues about Russian state involvement.
He said: “Our submission is that the investigation ... should encompass not only the conduct of Mr Petrov and Mr Boshirov, but also the source of the Novichok and wider Russian state responsibility.
“Where did the Novichok come from?
“Who sent those two men to Salisbury and with what instructions?
“And at what level was that decision approved?”
He said there was “very significant public interest in exposing the full facts of these matters”, adding: “This is likely to be the only opportunity to do so, forensically, in a legal forum.”
The coroner said a decision on whether or not to convert the inquest into a public inquiry would be made at a later date.
The hearing was adjourned until another pre-inquest review in June or July.
Novicholk litter-picking ban ends
A three-year ban on picking up litter in communities close to the Novichok poisonings is set to be lifted this week - to allow entries into the best kept village competition.
Residents living close to Salisbury have been part of a “don’t pick it up” rubbish zone imposed by Public Health England since a Russian hit squad targetted the town in March 2018.
Details of the ban in several small South Wiltshire villages had stopped them from carrying out the annual Spring cleans they needed to enter the prestigious awards.
But three years on, it is understood Public Health England are reviewing the ban with a positive decision expected within days.
And councillors who coordinate the competition entries said the lifting should come in plenty of time for areas to become suitably spruced up for the judges.
Cllr Richard Britton said: “I believe the ban is being reconsidered and we are hoping for a positive announcement this week.
“Public Health England is not able to give the best kept village competition as a reason for lifting it. They have to make the decision on the Scientific advice they have available.”
The Public Health England guidance since 2018 has been “if you don’t drop it, don’t pick it up.
This still stands in Salisbury, Amesbury and the surrounding areas and villages in South Wiltshire.
Public Health England said the advice was currently “under review” and it would be updating it when the time was right.
A spokesperson said: “As a precaution PHE continues to advise the public not to pick up any items. The advice remains “if you didn’t drop it, then don’t pick it up.”
“We are keeping the advice under review and will update it in due course.”
