22nd September 2021
Andrew O’Connor QC, Cathryn McGahey QC and Emilie Pottle appeared today at the second pre-inquest review in the inquest into the death of Dawn Sturgess. The hearing was conducted by Baroness Hallett, the Coroner, at the Royal Courts of Justice. Ms Sturgess died of Novichok poisoning in Salisbury in 2018.
Andrew O’Connor QC and Emilie Pottle have been appointed as Counsel to the Inquest; Cathryn McGahey QC and Richard Boyle are instructed by the Home Secretary. At the hearing, Baroness Hallett made a formal request to the Home Secretary to convert the inquest into a statutory public inquiry, to enable her to include in her investigation sensitive material held by the government. The next preliminary hearing will take place in December.