‘Pure chance’ Dawn Sturgess sprayed herself with novichok before meeting daughter, inquiry hears

It was “pure chance” Dawn Sturgess sprayed herself with novichok before meeting up with her daughter, an inquiry has been told.

Caroline Sturgess paid tribute to her daughter at the inquiry into her death on Tuesday, describing her as an “extremely selfless and very kind person”.

She told the inquiry that Dawn had plans to meet her daughter before she discovered the perfume bottle containing novichok.

Dawn, 44, died after unwittingly applying the nerve agent to her skin in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018.

It came after the attempted murders of former spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and then police officer Nick Bailey, who were poisoned in Salisbury in March that year.

All three survived – as did Dawn’s boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, who had unknowingly given her the bottle of perfume containing the nerve agent.

In a statement to the inquiry investigating Dawn’s death, her mother said it was a “solace” to her family that she was the only person to be killed “when the potential to harm was much, much more”.

Dawn was described by her mother as an “intelligent, funny, extremely selfless and very kind person”.

“I last spoke to my daughter on the evening before the incident,” she said.

“We spoke at length about the excitement she felt at the prospect of finally leaving the hostel and living independently once more.

“The final part of our conversation that night was discussing taking Dawn’s daughter to her the following day to spend time together: she was to ring me in the morning with a confirmed time for me to drop her off.”

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“It was pure chance that Dawn had sprayed herself with the novichok before her daughter arrived,” Ms Sturgess added.

“Dawn’s death was a tragedy to us all, but the fact that her daughter was not killed as well is a solace that we often revisit.”

Ms Sturgess also told the inquiry her daughter’s main priority was the welfare of her children.

“Dawn was raised in a normal, loving, caring family in a village where most knew each other, and where the majority of our family still live today.

“Her circumstances escalated to her living in John Baker House for the last two years of her life.

“Dawn grasped this opportunity to address her issues, she was excited that it would be a new starting block for a fresh chapter.

“Dawn’s main priority continued to be the welfare of her children. Her youngest – still in primary school – was always very excited to see her mum; I tried to take her in to see her as much as possible.”