‘Small bottle’ recovered from victim’s home was source of deadly Novichok

Glass container now part of murder investigation, with police hoping it could also assist in Skripal inquiry

POLICE have located the source of the Novichok responsible for poisoning two people in Salisbury last month.

Counter-terrorism investigators recovered a small glass bottle from the home of Charlie Rowley, the surviving victim, which has tested positive for the deadly chemical.

Further tests are now being carried out, but it is hoped it could also provide crucial evidence to who attacked Sergei Skripal, the ex-russian double agent, and Yulia, his daughter, in March.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, from Durrington, Wilts, died in hospital on Sunday evening after being exposed to the nerve agent the previous weekend. Mr Rowley, 45, her partner, was also taken critically ill, but has regained consciousness and has been interviewed by police. It is thought he has been able to help detectives on the source of the contamination. A murder investigation was launched following the death of Ms Sturgess.

The blame for the assassination attempt on Mr Skripal has been laid firmly at the door of the Russian state.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “On Wednesday, 11 July, a small bottle was recovered during searches of Charlie Rowley’s house in Amesbury. It was taken to the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, Wiltshire, for tests.

“Following those tests, scientists have now confirmed to us that the substance contained within the bottle is Novichok. Further scientific tests will be carried out to try and establish whether it is from the same batch that contaminated Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March – this remains a main line of inquiry for police.

“Inquiries are under way to establish where the bottle came from and how it came to be in Charlie’s house.”

Asst Commissioner Neil Basu, head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said: “This is clearly a significant and positive development.

“However, we cannot guarantee that there isn’t any more of the substance left and cordons will remain in place for some considerable time.”

Last night UK officials invited experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to independently confirm the identity of the nerve agent that killed Ms Sturgess and has left Mr Rowley seriously ill.

Meanwhile, a father of two from North Wales was questioned over the poisonings.

David James, 36, was held in custody for nine hours after officers found test tubes and laboratory equipment during a search of his home.

But the chemicals were harmless ingredients he was using to make soap to get his daughters interested in science.