Traces of Novichok found in second Salisbury police officer’s blood

Traces of the Novichok nerve agent have been found in the blood of a second police officer following the chemical attack in Salisbury last year, the Metropolitan Police said.

The Wiltshire Police officer “displayed signs at the time” that he had been exposed to a “very small amount” of the nerve agent, which was proven by subsequent blood tests, the force said on Thursday.

At the time “appropriate medical treatment” was given to the officer, who does not want to be named, and they were able to return to work shortly afterwards, Scotland Yard said.

A test was carried out on the officer in March 2018 and “has now given detectives confirmation that traces of Novichok were in the blood sample”, the Met added.

The officer is the sixth confirmed victim of the attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia, who both survived.

Dawn Sturgess later died after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded.

Salisbury incident
Salisbury incident

Her partner, Charlie Rowley, was left seriously ill but later recovered.

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, another Wiltshire Police officer, was also poisoned by the attack and fell seriously ill.

The Metropolitan Police said they continue to seek information about the activities of the two wanted men known as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who are accused of carrying out the attack while they were in the UK between March 2 and 4 2018.

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