Medic assumed drug overdose, Russian spy poisoning inquiry hears

The archetypal paramedic to dainty a erstwhile Russian spy and his girl aft they were poisoned with a nervus cause tried administering a cause to dainty an opioid overdose, an enquiry has heard.

Ian Parsons gave archetypal assistance attraction to Yulia and Sergei Skripal successful the Maltings country of Salisbury connected 4 March 2018 aft they were attacked with Novichok.

Mr Parsons said helium heard implicit the VHF vigor a pistillate was “having a seizure”.

He told the enquiry into the decease of Dawn Sturgess the country was “well-known” successful the assemblage for its colonisation of stateless people.

Ms Sturgess, 44, died 4 months aft the onslaught connected the Skripals aft being accidentally exposed to Novichok 8 miles distant successful Amesbury, Wiltshire.

It was concealed wrong a perfume vessel which had been recovered by her spouse and fixed to her a gift.

Mr Parsons, of the South Western Ambulance Service, said erstwhile helium checked Ms Skripal she had a “slow bosom rate” and was “foaming astatine the mouth”.

Her begetter was sitting conscionable to the side.

“The country of the Maltings underneath Sainsbury’s is well-known successful the section assemblage arsenic wherever stateless radical reside and perchance immoderate illicit drugs instrumentality spot there,” helium said.

“Previously to the incidental successful Salisbury we had connection sent done to america that determination was a highly toxic batch of fentanyl doing the rounds passim the UK.”

Mr Parsons told chap paramedic Louise Woods to administer Naloxone to Mr Skripal, a cause to reverse opioid overdose, but the medicine “did nothing”.

Ms Woods said Mr Skripal was conscious and sat “bolt upright” connected a bench, Ms Woods said.

“He did not recognise my beingness astatine all,” she said.

Ms Woods said Mr Skripal had vomited and she had checked the country for cause paraphernalia, but ne'er considered helium mightiness person been deliberately poisoned.

“Not successful a cardinal years would I person thought astir chemic (poisoning) successful Salisbury,” she said.

As helium was moved into the ambulance “his jaw abruptly started to clench down”, she said.

“He started to marque groaning sounds. It was similar helium was successful symptom but helium could not archer america helium was successful pain.”

Ms Woods added Mr Skripal's presumption was “very odd” though helium “remained efficaciously inwardly precise stable”.

The enquiry continues.