The Guardian reports that Nick Bailey, a policeman who fell critically ill during the Salisbury novichok poisonings, is understood to have served a “letter before action” to Wiltshire Police last year and expects to file a personal injury claim at the High Court in the summer if there is no resolution soon. The personal injury claim is filed under “accidents at work”.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey attended the home of Sergei Skripal after the Russian double agent and his daughter Yulia were found poisoned in the Wiltshire city in 2018. Mr Bailey, who spent 17 days in hospital, left the force last October. He made three attempts to return to work but said he “couldn’t deal with being in a police environment”.
Just before Christmas, Mr Bailey’s wife Sarah said he had medically retired and was still “fighting for part of his pension”. Speaking to Wiltshire College for a podcast last month, Bailey told how he felt “overwhelming guilt” after his family were forced to leave their home because he had contaminated it with the nerve agent.
He said: “The trauma for me was a prolonged trauma. I remember feeling pure panic and fear of the unknown because I had been poisoned by this nerve agent and you just don’t know where that is going to end.”
He said he initially struggled to do simple day-to-day tasks and is still on medication three years later.
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