Unlike an inquest, British law allows a public inquiry to consider sensitive intelligence material during partly closed hearings. Sturgess, 44, and her partner collapsed in the southwest England town of Amesbury after coming into contact with a small perfume bottle containing Novichok, a military grade nerve agent. Rowley told authorities he found the perfume bottle containing traces of the nerve agent in a trash bin. While there is almost no chance of a criminal trial, lawyers believe a public inquiry is the best way to find out what happened. Sturgess died in July that year after she and Rowley came into contact with the discarded perfume bottle the month before.

Source: CBC News September 22, 2021 20:48 UTC