Novichok police say they can’t guarantee safety

Detectives seek source of contamination as second victim said to be close to death in hospital

Charlie Rowley, the second victim of Novichok poisoning in Wiltshire, may only have days to live, it is understood. Counterterrorism police investigating the attack, which claimed the life of Dawn Sturgess, a mother of three, also said they could not guarantee public safety.

COUNTER terrorism police investigating the Novichok murder of a mother of three have said they cannot offer public safety guarantees, as it was revealed that the second victim could have just days to live.

Dawn Sturgess died on Sunday, nine days after receiving a large dose of the deadly nerve agent, when she picked up a container that had probably been used in the assassination attempt on the spy Sergei Skripal in March.

Her mother said that the 44-yearold, who had alcohol and addiction problems, had suffered heart failure after more than a week in intensive care.

Her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, 45, is on life support in Salisbury District Hospital, but is not expected to recover.

Speaking in the Commons, the Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, said: “The simple reality is that Russia has committed an attack on British soil which has seen the death of a British citizen. That is something that I think the world will unite with us in actually condemning.”

Detectives are trying to locate the source of the contamination – believed to be a glass container or syringe – which had lain undetected in Salisbury since the Skripal poisoning in March.

Neil Basu, the assistant commissioner for specialist operations, said: “We continue to work extremely closely with public health and scientific experts to continually monitor and assess the ongoing levels of risk to the public as the investigation progresses.

“Whilst I simply can’t offer guarantees, last night Public Health England emphasised that the risk to the general public at this time remains low.”

A total of 21 people, including eight police officers, nine healthcare workers and a paramedic, have sought medical help since last week, but all have been given the all-clear.

Police also gave more details of the movements of the couple in the hours after they were poisoned, and revealed that they have been examining a local bus and red Ford Transit Van that the couple travelled in.

After spending the afternoon of Friday June 29 shopping and relaxing in Salisbury, Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley visited her home in John Baker House, before travelling by bus back to his flat eight miles away in Amesbury.

A police spokesman said the bus had been seized and examined at the government’s defence laboratory at Porton Down before being declared safe.

On Saturday June 30, after Ms Sturgess was taken ill, Mr Rowley travelled in a red Ford Transit van with three other people. Mr Basu said the vehicle had also been taken by RAF personnel to Porton Down for tests. He said: “Three other men who were also in the van... have been identified and contacted by police. None of them are showing any signs of having been exposed to the nerve agent or feeling unwell, and are being screened as a precaution.”

One neighbour said: “A big military lorry arrived with loads of guys wearing protective clothing and gas masks.

“They wrapped it in plastic and then loaded it onto the back of the lorry – and then it was gone.”

Last night the probe spread to Swindon where detectives leading the hunt removed a vehicle from an address in relation to the ongoing probe.