The Skripals had plenty of support but we had to get a charity to help pay for mum’s funeral
NOVICHOK VICTIM’S SON ON FIGHT
Ewan, 20, appeals to Mr Putin to hand over the two suspected hitmen.
He says in his letter: “The pain never goes away for me and my family.
“British police believe at least two Russian citizens were responsible for her death but it appears they are being protected by your state.
“I am appealing to you as a human being to allow our officers to question these men about my mother’s murder. “The least she deserves is justice.” Ewan also tells the Sunday Mirror of his fears that 44-year-old Dawn will never be allowed to rest in peace.
He accuses the UK government of offering no support and says his family even had to go cap in hand to a charity to pay for Dawn’s funeral.
She died after spraying novichok – disguised as perfume – on her wrist.
Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, from military intelligence unit the GRU, are believed to have dumped the scent after targeting ex-russian spy Sergei Skripal, 68, and daughter Yulia, 34.
CLOSURE
The suspects were caught on CCTV and Ewan believes only Mr Putin – who has denied the agents’ involvement – can bring closure.
Ewan tells the Mirror: “Putin needs to give up these killers so my family can finally get justice.
“He needs to show he’s capable of showing some humanity to our family. I would ask him to imagine how he would feel if he was in my shoes.
“We’ve lost our mum and all we want is justice. He should be able to understand that.
“I am desperate. Mr Putin is the only man who can make sure justice prevails. I need his help to do right by my mum. I am counting on him.”
Ewan, his brother Aidan, 22, and their sister Grace, 12, are still reeling from Dawn’s death. It will be a year tomorrow that novichok was smeared on the Skripals’ front door in Salisbury, Wilts.
Sergei and Yulia were later found slumped on a park bench. They spent months in hospital but survived.
They remain under MI5 guard at great expense. And pictures yesterday showed a Ministry of Defence official laying
President Putin defended agents Chepiga, left, and Mishkin Mum Dawn died at 44 Mirror coverage yesterday flowers on a family grave in Salisbury on the Skripals’ behalf – because it is too dangerous for them to step out in public. Ewan says his family, meanwhile, have been left to fend for themselves. He says: “I fear we’ll never get justice for Mum and I feel betrayed and THE Russians were back at Sergei Skripal’s old home in Salisbury yesterday – but this time it was only a crew filming a TV segment.
The world’s media have flocked there for tomorrow’s anniversary of the novichok attack. The house is still screened off as a decontamination team ends its work.
The city itself is slowly recovering from last year’s seismic events. Visitor figures are down by one million
let down by the government. I know they’ve supported the Skripals and I’m glad because I have sympathy for them and what they’ve been through.
“But my family haven’t had that support and we’re the ones who have lost our mum. She was an innocent victim, but we’ve never heard anything from Theresa May or the government – not a phone call, a letter, or anything. We haven’t even heard from our MP.
and shops are still counting the cost of tourists being scared away. Poppy White runs the Ganesha handicrafts store just yards from where Sergei and his daughter Yulia collapsed on a park bench.
Poppy, 24, said: “In the first few weeks we lost 80 per cent of footfall. Things
Shop boss Poppy and Zizzi’s Joe We just find out things on the news the same as everyone else.
“I feel the Government just wants to move on, but we can’t because we haven’t got justice for Mum. Until we do, we can’t get closure.”
Dawn died last July, months after the attack on the Skripals. Her partner Charlie Rowley found what he thought was perfume and gave it to her at his flat in nearby Amesbury. She fell critically
have got a bit better, but we’re still 40 per cent down. We opened at 10am today and didn’t make our first sale until after midday. It’s probably cost the shop a six-figure sum in the last year. Sundays are abysmal and there have been weeks when I’ve just had to close early.” Joe Pegg, 29, is manager of Zizzi, the Italian restaurant the ill within 15 minutes. Dawn’s funeral was at Salisbury Crematorium but because of fear of contamination no pallbearers were allowed.
Ewan continues: “Grace gave a eulogy highlighting the things Mum did for her and Mum’s casket was lowered while Leave a Light On, by Tom Walker, was played. Afterwards we had a wake at a local pub and laughed and cried together. It helped.”
Skripals visited just before falling ill. He said: “We closed for eight months. The reopening was a real milestone for the city and it was emotional for staff to finally come back to work.
“The council really helped and we’ve had huge support from local people. There are less tourists, but the telltale time will be in the summer.
“Because Zizzi is a big brand it was able to cope. It’s the independent shops that have been hit the hardest.”
Okan Avci, 22, originally from