Inquiry report

The Inquiry Chair, The Rt Hon Lord Hughes of Ombersley, published his report into the death of Dawn Sturgess on 4 December 2025.

Lord Hughes made a short statement, which is available on the Inquiry’s YouTube channel.

The following correction was made to the report on 29 January 2026: on page 41, in paragraph 3.61 ‘a disciplinary investigation’ was changed to ‘an incident investigation.’

Background

On 18 November 2021 the Home Secretary announced the Government’s decision to establish an inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 to investigate the death of Dawn Sturgess.

Dawn Sturgess was pronounced dead at Salisbury District Hospital on 8 July 2018. The post mortem indicated the cause of her death was Novichok poisoning.

The Inquiry was formally established on 17 March 2022.

The Inquiry was set up to take the place of the Inquest (conducted by the Coroner, The Rt Hon Baroness Hallett DBE) in order to allow all relevant evidence to be heard.

The Inquiry was chaired by The Rt Hon Lord Hughes of Ombersley (About).

Terms of Reference

1. Subject to paragraph 2 below, the Chair is to conduct an investigation into the death of Dawn Sturgess in order to:

(a) Ascertain, in accordance with section 5(1) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 who the deceased was; how; when and where she came by her death; and the particulars (if any) required by the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 to be registered concerning the death;

(b) Identify, so far as consistent with section 2 of the Inquiries Act 2005, where responsibility for the death lies; and

(c) Make such recommendations as may seem appropriate.

2. That investigation is to take into account the investigations which have already been conducted by the Coroner (Baroness Hallett).

Inquest proceedings

The Inquest was suspended by The Rt Hon Baroness (Heather) Hallett DBE in accordance with paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, upon the establishment of the Inquiry.

Following the publication of the Inquiry report, in the absence of any submissions from interested persons that there were sufficient reasons to resume the Inquest, the Chief Coroner HHJ Alexia Durran confirmed her decision not to resume.