Lessons 'not learned' on Salisbury poisonings

The family of a British woman killed in the Wiltshire nerve agent poisonings have strongly criticised the British authorities for not doing more to keep the public safe, and believe that lessons have not been learned from her death.

- Steven Morris Caroline Bannock

Relatives of Dawn Sturgess, who was killed after she sprayed herself with a nerve agent smuggled into the UK by Russian agents to kill a former spy, expressed concern that an inquiry into her death had not set out how such a tragedy could be prevented in the future.

The inquiry made limited criticism of the way the security services protected the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who was living openly under his own name in Salisbury when he was targeted.

The family said: "Today's report has left us with some answers, but also a number of unanswered questions. We have always wanted to ensure that what happened to Dawn will not happen to others; that lessons should be learned; and that meaningful changes should be made. The report today contains no recommendations. That is a matter of real concern. There should, there must, be reflection and real change." They added: "Skripal was described by Vladimir Putin as a traitor and convicted of treason. Yet there were no sufficient and regular assessments of the risk he faced from Russian retaliation. That put the British public at risk, and led to Dawn's death.

"The chair considered secret evidence from the government and the UK intelligence services. Today's report does not set out, publicly, how the risks that led to Dawn's death will be prevented in the future. Adequate risk assessment of Skripal was not done; no protective steps were put in place. That is a serious concern, for us now, and for the future." The family criticised Wiltshire police for wrongly initially characterising Sturgess as a drug user.

"That was a grave mistake by Wiltshire police that should never have happened," they said.