Charlie Rowley Recounts 2018 Novichok Poisoning That Killed Dawn Sturgess, Leaving 1 Dead
Updated
Updated · CNN International · Jul 11
Charlie Rowley Recounts 2018 Novichok Poisoning That Killed Dawn Sturgess, Leaving 1 Dead
2 articles · Updated · CNN International · Jul 11
Summary
Charlie Rowley says in a new CNN documentary that he unknowingly gave Dawn Sturgess a discarded Nina Ricci perfume bottle containing Novichok in June 2018; she collapsed within minutes and died 10 days later at 44.
Two days after finding the boxed bottle in a charity bin in Amesbury, Rowley attached its separate nozzle and handed it to Sturgess, who noticed its oily texture and lack of scent before becoming unresponsive.
Five hours after Sturgess was taken to hospital, Rowley also fell ill, slipped into a coma for weeks and later suffered a stroke; he says he still has memory, balance and vision problems.
Investigators believe the bottle held the same Soviet-developed nerve agent used three months earlier against former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in nearby Salisbury, an attack Britain blamed on Russian operatives.
Eight years on, Rowley says he has stopped expecting justice: the identified Russian suspects were never arrested, and he still lives near Salisbury carrying guilt over a bottle former counterterrorism chief Neil Basu said contained enough poison to kill 10,000 people.
Eight years after Novichok killed a UK citizen, why do the Russian agents responsible remain unpunished?
What have the Novichok survivors' chronic health problems taught doctors about treating these deadly nerve agents?
With Russia accused of new chemical attacks, were the 2018 sanctions a failed deterrent?
The 2025 Public Inquiry into the Novichok Poisonings: Accountability, Systemic Failures, and the Enduring Impact on Victims and UK-Russia Relations
Overview
The 2025 public inquiry, led by Lord Hughes of Ombersley, delivered clear findings on the Novichok poisonings, firmly attributing responsibility to the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU. The UK government strongly condemned the attacks, with the Prime Minister highlighting the Kremlin’s disregard for innocent lives and suggesting high-level state involvement. In response, Russia quickly dismissed the report, calling its conclusions 'tasteless fairy tales.' The inquiry also exposed the tragic consequences of the attack, including harm to innocent bystanders, and set the stage for heightened diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia.