Police chief leads praise for officer poisoned in Russian spy attack

Nick Bailey, the police officer who needed intensive care following the poisoning this week in Salisbury of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, has been described as well-liked, brave and dedicated.

Wiltshire’s temporary chief constable, Kier Pritchard, visited Bailey at Salisbury district hospital on Thursday and reported that the detective sergeant was sitting up in bed, but that the long-term prognosis was unclear.

“I met Nick and his wife at the hospital in the intensive care unit,” Pritchard said. “I’ve known Nick for many years, he’s a great character, he’s a huge presence in Wiltshire police – well liked, well loved, a massively dedicated officer.

“He’s clearly receiving high-specialist treatment. He’s well, he’s sat up. He is not the Nick that I know but of course he’s receiving a high level of treatment. He’s in the safe hands of the medical professionals working in Salisbury district.

“Of course he’s very anxious, he’s very concerned. He did his very best on that night. All of our staff that attended the incident in Salisbury in the Maltings performed the role that police officers and police staff do every day up and down the country. With limited information, they responded to try and protect people and safeguard people who we knew were ill. I’m massively proud of what Nick did and all of my staff on that night, they did a first-class job. We’re rooting for Nick. We all miss him.”


Source: theguardian