A former senior police chief has alleged that a very senior member of government said 'Thank god it's a drug addict' in response to the 2018 death of Salisbury Novichok victim Dawn Sturgess. Neil Basu, former head of counter-terrorism policing, told the Daily Mirror that the comment was made after Sturgess died from exposure to the nerve agent Novichok, which had been left in a perfume bottle by Russian assassins targeting former double agent Sergei Skripal. According to the Daily Mirror, Basu described the remark as the worst thing he had heard in his career, expressing disgust.
Sturgess's former partner, Charlie Rowley, who is still suffering from the effects of the poison, told the Daily Mirror he was disgusted and angry, demanding the official be named and apologise. Michael Mansfield, KC, who represented Sturgess's family, called the alleged comment appalling and a shocking exposure of disregard for public safety. The identity of the official who allegedly made the remark remains unknown, and it is unclear whether the government has responded.
I'm disgusted by it and it makes me very angry. It's totally wrong and it's sick. This person should be named publicly and I want them to apologise. It's the least they can do.
A global warrant is outstanding for three Russian agents—Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov, and Sergey Fedotov—but Russia has refused to extradite them. Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia survived the March 2018 attack.
My view is that it's appalling and a shocking exposure for the public who were barely protected in this event. To be regarded by someone as disposable, because that is what it comes to, that is disgusting. It's a disgraceful thing to say, namely that we don't really care.