Dawn Sturgess killed by discarded Novichok in Amesbury

Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley were exposed in Amesbury in late June 2018 to Novichok concealed in a counterfeit perfume bottle discarded after the Salisbury attack. Sturgess died on 8 July 2018; Rowley survived after serious illness.

Established by. The statutory Dawn Sturgess Inquiry chaired by Lord Hughes (report published 4 December 2025) found a direct causal link between her death and the GRU's attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, that the Novichok was brought from Russia, and that the operation was authorised by President Putin.

Latest. Inquiry report published 4 December 2025; Counter Terrorism Policing states the investigation into her murder remains ongoing and no one has been charged over her death.