Police accused of 'bungling' Sergei Skripal poisoning case after taking TWO WEEKS to examine car daughter used
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COPS probing the Sergei Skripal poisoning were accused of bungling the case after seizing the car used to ferry his daughter from the airport – two weeks later.
Forensics officers swooped on the silver Isuzu D-Max truck which was used to pick up 33-year-old Yulia - just a day before she and her dad were found paralysed on March 4.
It was driven by former neighbour and close family friend Ross Cassidy, 61, who kindly stepped in after Sergei’s BMW got stuck in the snow .
It has been theorised Yulia could have unwittingly brought the deadly nerve agent with her into the UK in her luggage.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
Last night Ross’s step-son Russell Loveridge, 37, said: “It’s a farce. It’s 15 days later and they take the first car away.
“It was the first car they were in in this country and it’s the last car the police have taken away.
“He’s got a pick-up truck, they went to the airport and all the luggage goes in the back of the pickup truck not in the car.
“If it (the nerve agent) was in the luggage then it wasn’t in the car with them.
“Ross has been driving it for 15 days, he would’ve got it by now.
(Image: Getty)
“I just think it’s stupid how they’ve taken so long to take it away.
“Ross is fine but he’s p***ed off that they’ve taken his car away but there’s not a lot he can do about it.
“They were good friends, we all are of Sergei. Sergei couldn’t get his car out because of the snow.
“Rear wheel drive BMWs don’t want to go up that hill.
“So his nearest and dearest gave him a lift to the airport.
“They didn’t know at that point that she could have been carrying the nerve agent.
“He’s been driving around in it since. He’s been going to work.”
(Image: pixel8000)
On Monday concrete firm worker Mr Cassidy confirmed it was his car that has been seized by investigators.
It was seen quarantined in the yard of his employers Cemex in the village of Durrington ten miles north of Salisbury.
Much of Larkhill Road in the village was closed off and tents were erected as both the military and police examined the scene on Monday afternoon.
An MoD spokeswoman said the military presence was “part of our ongoing support to help police in the investigation” and that services were “removing the vehicle from the area”
One theory is that Yulia could have unwittingly brought the nerve agent with her and then exposed herself and her 66-year-old father to it in his home.
Although over the weekend sources in the USA claim Mr Skripal and his daughter may have been exposed to a deadly nerve agent through his car’s ventilation system.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
The pair are still fighting for their lives after being exposed to Novichok two weeks ago in the Wiltshire city.
Mr Cassidy’s car is the latest vehicle to be taken away over the past few days.
Emergency vehicles which responded to the incident have been taken for forensic analysis as was Mr Skripal’s maroon BMW, which was found in a Sainsbury’s car park, just a few yards from the main crime scene.
It is believed they are all being taken to the top secret Porton Down research facility for further testing.