This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/10/nerve-agent-poisoning-inquiry-spreads-to-swindon-car-seized-dawn-sturgess

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Nerve agent poisoning inquiry spreads to Swindon as car seized Nerve agent poisoning inquiry spreads to Swindon as car seized
(about 1 hour later)
The investigation into the nerve agent poisoning that has left one woman dead and her partner critically ill has spread to another site, 40 miles from Salisbury.The investigation into the nerve agent poisoning that has left one woman dead and her partner critically ill has spread to another site, 40 miles from Salisbury.
A car has been seized from a residential street in Swindon following the death of Dawn Sturgess, who fell ill with her partner, Charlie Rowley. A car was seized from a residential street in Swindon on Monday evening after the death of Dawn Sturgess, who fell ill with her partner, Charlie Rowley.
Detectives believe the pair handled a container contaminated by novichok, believed to be from the same batch used in March’s attempted assassination of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March. Detectives believe the pair handled a container contaminated by novichok, believed to be from the same batch used in March’s attempted killing of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March.
Military personnel wearing gloves and gas masks were seen wrapping a white Audi in plastic, loading it on to a lorry and taking it away.Military personnel wearing gloves and gas masks were seen wrapping a white Audi in plastic, loading it on to a lorry and taking it away.
Wiltshire police said: “We have arranged the transportation of a car from an address in Swindon this evening in relation to the ongoing incident. The public should not be alarmed by this. Those involved have the training and expertise to safely remove the vehicle.”Wiltshire police said: “We have arranged the transportation of a car from an address in Swindon this evening in relation to the ongoing incident. The public should not be alarmed by this. Those involved have the training and expertise to safely remove the vehicle.”
We have arranged the transportation of a car from an address in Swindon this evening in relation to the on-going incident in #Amesbury. The public should not be alarmed by this. Those involved have the training & expertise to safely remove the vehicle. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/BruH9i06f9We have arranged the transportation of a car from an address in Swindon this evening in relation to the on-going incident in #Amesbury. The public should not be alarmed by this. Those involved have the training & expertise to safely remove the vehicle. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/BruH9i06f9
The force added: “The current advice from Public Health England is that the risk to the public remains low. A dedicated phone line is up and running for anyone who has any concerns or information relating to this incident.”The force added: “The current advice from Public Health England is that the risk to the public remains low. A dedicated phone line is up and running for anyone who has any concerns or information relating to this incident.”
Sturgess and Rowley fell ill on 30 June at the latter’s home in Amesbury, which is 32 miles south of Swindon. Sturgess and Rowley fell ill on 30 June at the latter’s home in Amesbury, 32 miles south of Swindon. Police opened a murder investigation after Sturgess died in hospital on Sunday night.
The car is at least the third vehicle to be seized. The car is at least the third vehicle to be seized since then. On Sunday night, service personnel wearing protective gloves and breathing apparatus towed a red van away from a road in Durrington, near Amesbury. It is thought Rowley travelled in the van shortly before collapsing.
On Sunday night, service personnel wearing protective gloves and breathing apparatus towed a red van away from a road in Durrington, near Amesbury. It is thought Rowley travelled in the van shortly before collapsing. A bus the pair caught from Salisbury to Amesbury was also seized and tested at the Porton Down government laboratory but declared clear of novichok.
A bus the pair caught from Salisbury to Amesbury has also been seized and tested at the government laboratory at Porton Down but declared clear of novichok.
The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner, Neil Basu, said on Monday that the substance that led to Sturgess and Rowley falling ill was in a vessel or container when the couple came across it.The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner, Neil Basu, said on Monday that the substance that led to Sturgess and Rowley falling ill was in a vessel or container when the couple came across it.
Police have opened a murder investigation after Sturgess died in hospital on Sunday night. He said the pair received a high dose of novichok after handling a container which held the nerve agent. It was most likely that the container was linked to the attack on the Skripals four months earlier.
On Monday, Basu said Sturgess and Rowley received a high dose of novichok after handling a container containing the nerve agent. It was most likely that the container police are hunting for was linked to the attack on the Skripals four months earlier. Several sites have been cordoned off. The three of most interest are Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury, where the couple spent part of Friday; the Salisbury homeless hostel where Sturgess lived and both visited on Friday; and Rowley’s Amesbury home.
Several sites have been cordoned off. The three of most interest are Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury, where the British couple spent part of Friday; the Salisbury homeless hostel where Sturgess lived and both visited on Friday; and Rowley’s Amesbury home. In addition to Sturgess and Rowley, 21 people have been examined by health experts over concerns they could have been exposed to novichok – eight police officers and staff, nine health workers, one paramedic and three members of the public. Wiltshire police said all had been assessed, screened and discharged.
In addition to Sturgess and Rowley, 21 people have been examined by health experts over concerns they could have been exposed to novichok – eight police officers and staff, nine healthcare workers, one paramedic and three members of the public. Wiltshire police said all had been assessed, screened and discharged.
The home secretary, Sajid Javid, chaired a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee on Monday.The home secretary, Sajid Javid, chaired a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee on Monday.
Later, he told MPs in the Commons that Porton Down scientists had been able to recover novichok from the blood of Sturgess and Rowley. It was too small an amount to examine to see if it was from the same batch used in the March attack, making it more important that investigators hunt down the item that contaminated the British couple. Britain has blamed Moscow for the attack on the Skripals. He later told MPs in the Commons that Porton Down scientists had been able to recover novichok from the blood of Sturgess and Rowley. It was too small an amount to establish if it was from the same batch used in the March attack, making it more important that investigators find the item that contaminated the British couple, he said. Britain has blamed Moscow for the attack on the Skripals.
The defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, directly accused Moscow on Monday. He told the Commons: “The simple reality is that Russia has committed an attack on British soil which has seen the death of a British citizen. That is something that I think the world will unite with us in actually condemning.” The defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, told the Commons: “The simple reality is that Russia has committed an attack on British soil which has seen the death of a British citizen. That is something that I think the world will unite with us in actually condemning.”
UK newsUK news
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content