What happened to The Salisbury poisoning victims?

14 June 2020, 19:00 | Updated: 14 June 2020, 19:01

Salisbury police officer poisoned in novichok attack speaks for first time

Where are Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia now? And what happened to Charles Rowley?

Eagerly-anticipated drama The Salisbury Poisonings is on TV screens this week.

Based on the shocking true events which took place in 2018, the BBC series tells the story of the attack on ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia who were targeted with Novichok.

Charlie Rowley and his girlfriend Dawn Sturgess were also exposed to the deadly nerve agent, along with DS Bailey who was investigating the case.

But what happened to the victims and where are they now?

What happened to Sergei and Yulia Skripal?

On March 4, 2018, former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a park bench after the nerve agent Novichok had been covered on the door handle of their home.

Both father and daughter ended up in hospital in critical conditions, but managed to survive the poisoning.

Two years on, the pair are now believed to have left the safehouse they were living in in the UK and started a new life in New Zealand.

According to the Sunday Times, a senior government source said the Skripals had been given new identities and support in order to start a new life.

What happened to Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess?

Charlie Rowley was exposed to the deadly nerve agent along with his girlfriend Dawn Sturgess almost four months after the original attack.

In June 2018, the pair were found unconscious in a property in nearby Amesbury, Wiltshire, after handling a perfume bottle containing the poison.

The Salisbury Poisonings - Trailer - BBC

Charlie gifted Dawn the bottle to 44-year-old Dawn after he found it in a charity shop litter bin.

Charlie survived the killer nerve agent and regained consciousness on July 10, being released from hospital 10 days later.

Tragically, mum-of-three Dawn, who sprayed her skin with the substance, died in July 2018.

The flat where Dawn fell ill is now set to be demolished after lying in a 'semi-derelict' state since her death two years ago.

Dawn’s mum and dad - Stan and Caroline - agreed to work with the makers of the BBC drama, saying they wanted to make sure their late daughter was depicted fairly.

Stan said: “I knew they would make a movie out of what happened because the story is so strange. I didn’t really want it made at all, but we knew the way to make it as accurate as possible was to be involved and trying to tell people our story.

“Everyone’s voice needs to be heard. Dawn never had a voice. We got fed up with people assuming things about her.”

What happened to DS Nick Bailey?

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey was contaminated as he investigated the shocking crime.

He had been wearing a hazmat suit, but after touching the door, where the majority of the agent was found, he felt unwell and was taken to hospital two days later where he was told he had been poisoned.

Nick managed to survive the poisoning and his wife and children were unaffected.

He went on to run the Salisbury Marathon in August 2019, saying it gave him a “physical and mental focus for recovery”, as well as raising money for the hospital where he was treated.

He told Sky News at the time: "I took quite a knock with the poisoning, both mentally and physically and I wanted to have something to work towards.

"I also wanted to give something back to the hospital, so I started in February with the fundraiser and it went from there."