Cop: Novichok could have killed thousands
THE detective poisoned probing the Salisbury novichok attack has told how his life has been turned upside down – as his boss said the nerve agent could have killed thousands.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey was unwittingly contaminated as he and a colleague searched the home of Sergei Skripal after the former Russian spy and daughter Yulia were found critically ill in the city.
Dad-of-two Nick fell ill soon after but it was not linked to novichok until he was rushed to hospital two days later – after which he realised he might have contaminated his family home, where they can now never return. He said: “Not only did we lose the house, we lost all of our possessions, including everything the kids owned, the cars, everything.”
Now he may face long-term health issues, but he said: “I can’t control that. It’s happened now and we just have to take each day as it comes.”
Novichok is suspected to have been
tells of novichok ordeal
Chepiga, left, & Mishkin in Salisbury smeared on Mr Skripal’s front door handle by secret agents Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin of Russia’s feared GRU.
The poison was in a perfume bottle and in July it killed Dawn Sturgess, 45, who put it on her wrists after partner Charlie Rowley, 44, found it in a bin.
Dep Asst Commissioner Dean Haydon, who led the probe into the March attack, called it “completely reckless”. Asked how many more people it could have killed, Mr Haydon said: “Possibly into the thousands. The amount in the bottle and the way it was applied was completely reckless.”
DS Bailey and a colleague wore forensic suits to search Mr Skripal’s home, but two days later he was rushed to hospital.
He said: “Everything was juddering, I was very unsteady on my feet. My whole body was dripping with sweat.”
He added: “It’s such an outrageous way of doing something. Any number of people could have been affected.”
We lost the house, the cars, and all of our possessions