Detective in Russian spy case denies he’s a hero from hospital bed

THE detective who fell ill while investigating the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter last night released a statement from his hospital bed.

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey thanked the public for their kind thoughts and best wishes – and said that he does not consider himself a hero.

DS Bailey’s statement came as Home Secretary Amber Rudd described the investigation into the poisonings as a “serious and substantial investigation” which was proceeding with “speed and professionalism.”

Ms Rudd made her remarks after chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergencies committee.

A Wilshire Police statement said DS Bailey, who had visited Mr Skripal’s house after trying to help him at the scene, “would like to thank everyone once again for all of their kind thoughts and best wishes, they are truly appreciated.

It added: “He also wishes to say that he was part of a group of officers and other emergency service colleagues who dealt with the initial incident.

“He does not consider himself a ‘hero’, he states he was merely doing his job – a job he loves and is immensely proud of – just like all of his other dedicated colleagues do, day in-day out, in order to protect the public and keep people safe.”

As the inquiry into the suspected Kremlin-backed assassination attempt entered its eighth day, police activity resumed at a Salisbury cemetery, where investigators wearing hazmat suits could be seen near the grave of Mr Skripal’s wife Liudmila.

Officers have erected a large white tent close to where she was buried in 2012.

Scotland Yard confirmed officers were not exhuming a body, but would not comment further on the investigation, saying only the tent was in place for “operational reasons”.

Troops descended on Salisbury for a second day, with their focus turning to an ambulance station.

A military convoy, including two Army low-loaders, arrived at the small building close to Salisbury District Hospital and police cordoned off a road.

Soldiers wearing grey hazmat suits and masks covered a potentially contaminated ambulance with a silver tarpaulin as they prepared to move it from the scene.

Police investigating the Salisbury nerve agent attack have identified more than 200 witnesses and 240 pieces of evidence, Ms Rudd said.

Ms Rudd said there were more than 250 officers from eight out of 11 of the UK’s counter-terrorism units involved.

“This is a serious, substantial investigation. We need to give the police and the investigators the space to get on with that,” she said.

“They are proceeding with speed and professionalism.

“We are putting in enormous resources to ensure that they have all the support that they need.”