Amesbury: Father 'devastated' after Dawn Sturgess dies from novichok exposure

The father of a woman who died after being exposed to the nerve agent novichok says he is "devastated".

Police have launched a murder inquiry after Dawn Sturgess, 44, passed away at Salisbury District Hospital on Sunday evening.

The mother-of-three was admitted after falling ill at the home of her partner Charlie Rowley in Amesbury, near Salisbury, last Saturday.

Mr Rowley remains in a critical condition in hospital after he too was exposed to novichok.

Russia, which has been accused of targeting Sergei and Yulia Skripal with the nerve agent, said it was sorry to hear of Ms Sturgess's death.

To suggest that Russia was involved would be absurd, the Kremlin added, describing the investigation into Ms Sturgess's death as a British problem.

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said: "This is shocking and tragic news. Dawn leaves behind her family, including three children, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this extremely difficult time.

"The 45-year-old man who fell ill with Dawn remains critically ill in hospital and our thoughts are with him and his family as well.

"This terrible news has only served to strengthen our resolve to identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for what I can only describe as an outrageous, reckless and barbaric act.

"Detectives will continue with their painstaking and meticulous work to gather all the available evidence so that we can understand how two citizens came to be exposed with such a deadly substance that tragically cost Dawn her life."

Police said nobody else has come to hospital with the same symptoms as the couple.

Dr Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital, expressed her condolences to Ms Sturgess' family and said her staff "did everything they could".

"The staff here at Salisbury District Hospital worked tirelessly to save Dawn," she said.

"Our staff are talented, dedicated and professional and I know today they will be hurting too.

"They did everything they could."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "appalled and shocked" by Ms Sturgess' death.

She added: "Police and security officials are working urgently to establish the facts of this incident, which is now being investigated as a murder.

"The government is committed to providing full support to the local community as it deals with this tragedy."

Wiltshire Police constable Kier Pritchard said "today is the day we hoped would never come" as he urged those with questions to speak to officers patrolling the community.

Professor Paul Cosford, from Public Health England, said the public is still being advised not to pick up "any strange items such as needles, syringes or unusual containers".

"The overall risk to the general public remains low," he added.

If anybody was in the locations identified by police from 10pm on Friday 29 June they should wash their clothes in a washing machine and "keep your items double-bagged and securely fastened, if they are dry clean only", he added.

Ms Sturgess collapsed at about 10.15am on 30 June and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Mr Rowley was then taken to hospital at 3.30pm the same day, which is when police were informed.

Scientists at the UK's chemical laboratory Porton Down confirmed on Wednesday that the couple had been exposed to novichok.

Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal were poisoned with the nerve agent just eight miles away in Salisbury in March, but managed to recover after spending months in hospital.

Police suspect Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley were exposed to novichok through a contaminated item left over from the first attack.

Britain has blamed Russia for the attack on the Skripals, but the Kremlin denies the allegation.

Detectives are still investigating the attempted murders of the Skripals and are looking into whether the separate incidents may be linked.

But officials said there is no evidence that the pair visited any of the sites in Salisbury which were decontaminated after the attempted murders of the Skripals.

Six locations visited by the couple in Salisbury and Amesbury before they fell ill have been cordoned off, including Mr Rowley's home on Muggleton Road in Amesbury, a Boots shop and a baptist church.

Officers also evacuated the hostel in Salisbury where Ms Sturgess lived and investigators in hazmat suits were seen swabbing the building and collecting evidence on Friday.

CCTV footage has emerged of Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley buying alcohol more than 24 hours before they became seriously unwell.

The couple, who were known drug users, spent Friday afternoon and evening in Salisbury and visited a number of shops.

Salisbury MP John Glen sought to assure his constituents that police were working hard to find out who was responsible.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was "shocked" and that his thoughts were with the victim's friends and family.

"A full and thorough police investigation must now establish the facts, provide support to the local community and bring those responsible to justice," Mr Corbyn added.

:: If anyone has any information which could help with the investigation call police on 0800 789 321.