This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/22/police-officer-poisoned-in-spy-attack-leaves-hospital

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Police officer poisoned in spy attack leaves hospital Police officer poisoned in Sergei Skripal attack leaves hospital
(34 minutes later)
DS Nick Bailey, the police officer who was exposed to the novichok nerve agent when responding to the Salisbury attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal, has been discharged from hospital. The police officer injured in the nerve agent attack on the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, has been discharged from hospital.
Cara Charles-Barks, chief executive of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, made the announcement in a press conference on Thursday afternoon. DS Nick Bailey called his own experience “surreal” but added: “I want people to focus on the investigation – not the police officer who was unfortunate enough to be caught up in it.”
Wiltshire police chief constable Kier Pritchard read a statement from Bailey in which the officer said his life would “never be the same again”. He continued: “I understand why there is attention on me, but all I have done is represent every police officer who goes out there every day and puts their life at risk.”
The statement said: “People ask me how I am feeling – but there are really no words to explain how I feel right now. Surreal is the word that keeps cropping up – and it really has been completely surreal.” His wife, Sarah, said: “Nick doesn’t like the term hero, but he has always been a hero to me and our children.
He thanked hospital staff, fellow officers and the public for their support, adding: “As I have begun to feel better, I have become aware of the widespread and enormous attention this whole incident has attracted. “This has quite simply been the most traumatic event of our life and it feels like our world has been turned upside down in a really short space of time.”
“I find this really overwhelming – I am just a normal person with a normal life, and I don’t want my wife, children, family or I to be part of that attention. I do hope the public can understand that.” While Bailey was able to leave hospital, more details of the Skripals’ condition emerged in a court of protection judgment giving permission for blood to be taken from father and daughter to be analysed by Inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The statement adds: “I recognise that ‘normal’ life for me will probably never be the same – and Sarah and I now need to focus on finding a new normal for us and for our children.” It emerged in the judgment from Mr Justice Williams that both the Skripals remained “heavily sedated”. The judgment added: “The precise effect of their exposure on their long-term health remains unclear albeit medical tests indicate that their mental capacity might be compromised to an unknown and so far unascertained degree.”
Meanwhile, a judge has given doctors permission to take blood samples from Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter, Yulia, so that tests can be carried out by chemical weapons experts. Williams said Skripal was unable to communicate in any way and his daughter could not communicate in any “meaningful way”. He added: “It is not possible to say when or to what extent Mr or Ms Skripal may regain capacity. Both are currently in a physically stable condition which is not expected to change in the immediate or near future.
Mr Justice Williams made the ruling after a hearing in the court of protection, where issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions are considered. “They are both being treated on the basis that they would wish to be kept alive and to achieve optimal recovery and the treatment currently being given is aimed to achieve that. The hospital has not been approached by anyone known to the patients to enquire of their welfare.”
The Skripals are both in a coma in hospital and therefore unable to give their consent to blood samples being taken or tested. Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said 48 people had sought advice from the hospital. All had been assessed and given health advice.
The judge, David Williams, who is based in the family division of the high court in London, announced his decision on Thursday after analysing the case at a private hearing earlier this week. The chief constable of Wiltshire police, Kier Pritchard, read out the Baileys’ statements outside Salisbury district hospital.
Giving his ruling, the judge said the Skripals remain in hospital under heavy sedation, are unable to communicate and that it was not possible to say when or to what extent either may regain mental capacity. Bailey, who was one of the officers involved in the initial response when the Skripals collapsed on 4 March in Salisbury city centre, said in his statement: “There are really no words to explain how I feel right now. Surreal is the word that keeps cropping up – and it really has been completely surreal.”
“The precise effect of their exposure on their long-term health remains unclear albeit medical tests indicate that their mental capacity might be compromised to an unknown and so far unascertained degree,” the judge said in his ruling. He paid tribute to hospital staff who had nursed him but also the wider public: “One thing that has lifted me throughout the last few weeks has been the public support the police service has received during this incident.
Pritchard also paid tribute to Bailey at the press conference on Thursday. He said: “Whilst most of the world has been fixated on the incident and the investigation, Nick has had to undergo significant medical treatment which has undoubtedly been very daunting for him, and for his family. “All the stories of community spirit – from the local businesses providing food and hot drinks to the officers standing for endless hours on the cordons, to the members of the public just showing their support for our work – have been quite simply overwhelming to hear about.”Bailey added: “As I have begun to feel better, I have become aware of the widespread and enormous attention this whole incident has attracted. I find this really overwhelming. I am just a normal person with a normal life. “We are just taking each day as it comes at the moment. I recognise that ‘normal’ life for me will probably never be the same, and Sarah and I now need to focus on finding a new normal for us and for our children.”Pritchard said the experience must have been “terrifying” for Bailey, adding: “Whilst most of the world has been fixated on the incident and the investigation, Nick has had to undergo significant medical treatment which has undoubtedly been very daunting for him, and for his family.”
“I have personally been amazed at Nick’s strength and resilience. He really is a credit to Wiltshire police and the wider police family.”
He added: “At this stage I would like to say that our thoughts and prayers equally remain with Sergei and Yulia Skripal and their family.” Sergei Skripal
More to follow Police
UK news
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content