We’ve had no justice, says novichok policeman’s wife
She hits out at Johnson over his response to new attack
THE wife of a policeman poisoned with a Russian nerve agent claims her family has seen ‘no justice’ since the attack.
Sarah Bailey condemned another ‘scary and brazen’ use of novichok after it was confirmed a Russian opposition leader had been targeted with the same substance.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey almost died after coming into contact with novichok in Salisbury in March 2018.
His wife decided to speak out and criticise the Government following its response to the attempted murder of Alexei Navalny.
On Wednesday Boris Johnson tweeted: ‘It’s outrageous that a chemical weapon was used against Alexei Navalny.
‘We have seen first hand the deadly consequences of novichok in the UK.
‘The Russian government must now explain what happened to Mr Navalny – we will work with international partners to ensure justice is done.’
Mrs Bailey shared the tweet with her own followers, responding: ‘ Justice would be nice. Actions speak louder than words. #nevergoingtohappen.’
Her husband had shared the same post writing: ‘So much that I want to say about this tweet. But I can’t.’
Mrs Bailey added of the Navalny attack: ‘The poor man and his family. Really scary and brazen yet again.’
Mr Bailey spent two weeks in intensive care with medics fearing he could die. He was the first person to enter the home of Sergei Skripal after the Russian former double agent and his daughter, Yulia, were found poisoned in Salisbury.
Both Mr Bailey and the Skripals recovered after lengthy stays in hospital.
But Dawn Sturgess, 44, died months after the incident when she and her partner, Charlie Rowley, were poisoned through coming across a discarded perfume bottle used to hold the novichok.
Two alleged Russian spies have been accused of deploying the nerve agent and have been charged in absentia. Mr Navalny, a politician and corruption investigator, fell ill on a flight back to Moscow from Siberia on August 20. The 44-year- old was transferred to Berlin for treatment – where he remains on a ventilator in intensive care.
In online posts yesterday Mrs Bailey said: ‘It’s been almost 2½ years after the events in Salisbury and there has been no justice for Dawn and her family and none for the Skripals, Charlie or us. And now it’s happened again.
‘There appears to be no consequences for the culprits. The Government are right to condemn these actions, but in 2½ years will it be forgotten about? That’s how it feels for us. #RIPDawn.’
Earlier this week the German government said testing at a military laboratory showed ‘ proof without doubt of a chemical nerve agent from the novichok group’.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Mr Navalny was the victim of attempted murder with the aim being to silence an opponent of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Yesterday Miss Sturgess’s father, Stan, told The Guardian he was not surprised novichok had been used again.
He added: ‘ As soon as I heard Navalny had been poisoned I thought it was novichok. It’s the Russians’ calling card.
‘The Russians want everyone to know it’s them. We always said it could happen again. At least Angela Merkel may ask more questions than Boris Johnson was ever going to ask.
‘Maybe more pressure will be put on the Russians now. Boris never asked anything. It brings back terrible memories.’