Novichok victims feel 'forgotten' by Government and fear culprits will never be brought to justice

The victims of the Salisbury Novichok poisonings feel as if their plight has been forgotten and that those responsible will never be brought to justice, it has emerged.

It comes after the attempted murder of a senior Russian opposition leader with the same suspected chemical weapon used to target Sergei and Yulia Skripal in the Wiltshire cathedral city.

It has become apparent that those whose lives were impacted by the Salisbury attack feel traumatised once again, with memories of their ordeal triggered by the latest incident.

In a series of emotional posts on social media Sarah Bailey, the wife of Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who came close to death after being contaminated by Novichok smeared on the front door handle of the Skripals’ home, said she feared those who endured the Salisbury attack were being forgotten about.

And she said the victims were angry at the prospect that neither the Russian agents who attacked the Skripals in their town in March 2018, or the operatives who poisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny last month, would ever face trial.

In July 2018 Dawn Sturgess, 44, a mother of two three, died in Salisbury after coming into contact with a perfume bottle thought to have been used by Russian agents to transport the nerve agent to the city.

Her boyfriend Charlie Rowley suffered damage to his sight, balance and immune system and spent three weeks in hospital.

Mrs Bailey said on Twitter: “It’s been almost two and a half years after the events in Salisbury and there has been no justice for Dawn and her family and none for the Skripals, Charlie or us. And now it’s happened again.

“There appears to be no consequences for the culprits. The Government are right to condemn these actions, but in two and a half years will it be forgotten about? That’s how it feels for us. #RIPDawn”

Reacting to the attack on Mr Navalny she added: “The poor man and his family. Really scary and brazen yet again. “

Mrs Bailey had earlier responded to a Twitter post from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in which he called on the Russian government to explain what had happened to the politician and vowing to work with the international community to ensure justice was done.

In a scathing Tweet quoting Mr Johnson’s words Mrs Bailey said: “Justice would be nice. Actions speak louder than words. #nevergoingtohappen.”

Echoing the feelings of all the families of the Salisbury victims Mrs Bailey added on Twitter last night: "I expect the UK to do more than just expel diplomats. There are two people that have been charged with my husband’s attempted murder.

"I’d like them to be brought to justice. I’d like the UK and the world to show Russia that this isn’t acceptable."

DS Bailey, who was the first police officer to enter the Skripal’s home, is now back on duty with Wiltshire Police after a prolonged recovery from the physical and psychological effects of the poisoning.

He told The Telegraph that as a serving police officer he could not comment, saying that he had to be “circumspect”, but he added: “Seeing this happen again hasn’t been nice, no.”

Earlier this year DS Bailey told this outlet that he felt as if he had “survived an invisible bullet” .

The German government said there is "unequivocal proof" that Mr Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said he was a victim of attempted murder, and that the Russian government had serious questions to answer.

Ms Sturgess’s father, Stan, told the Telegraph: “It’s very frustrating. Who knows if we’ll ever get justice for Dawn. Perhaps now that Mrs Merkel has spoken out something will happen. Who knows. We’ll have to see.”

He said he felt Mrs Merkel would ask more searching questions than Mr Johnson did after the Novichok poisonings in Salisbury and that the poisoning of Mr Navalny had brought back terrible memories.

“Maybe more pressure will be put on the Russians now. Boris never asked anything. We may get some more answers. I don’t know if we’ll get justice but everything opens the door a bit more,” he said

“It brings back terrible memories, it churns it all up again. It’s scary times for anyone who goes against the Russians.”

Mr Navalny was flown to Berlin after falling ill on a flight in Siberia last month, and remains in a coma. His supporters say he was poisoned on President Vladimir Putin's orders. The Kremlin has dismissed the allegation.

The two men named by the British intelligence services as the agents who attacked the Skripals in Salisbury, Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, returned to Russia after the attack and later claimed to have visited Salisbury simply to visit its famous cathedral.

Russia denies being behind the attack and says the two men are innocent.