Sergei Skripal could break his silence for first time since he was poisoned with Novichok as former Russian spy and his daughter Yulia are called to give evidence at Salisbury inquiry

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal could break his silence since he was poisoned as has been called to give evidence at an inquiry into the Salisbury attack.

Skripal, his daughter Yulia and ex-police officer Nick Bailey were poisoned by deadly nerve agent Novichok in a murder attempt in the English town in March 2018.

All three survived, however Dawn Sturgess, 44, died four months later after she found a perfume bottle containing the nerve agent and sprayed it on her wrist.

On Friday, a preliminary hearing for the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry at the Royal Courts of Justice heard that Mr Skripal and his daughter may give oral evidence at the poisonings inquiry which is due due to begin in October this year.

Michael Mansfield KC, representing the family of Ms Sturgess, said this was because transcripts from police interviews with the Skripals had not been disclosed to him and they should therefore be provisionally on the witness list.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal (pictured) could break his silence since he was poisoned as has been called to give evidence at an inquiry into the Salisbury attack

Skripal, his daughter Yulia (pictured) and ex-police officer Nick Bailey were poisoned by deadly nerve agent Novichok in a murder attempt in the English town in March 2019

It took almost exactly a year for Salisbury to finally be declared clear of all traces of the deadly nerve agent. Pictured is the Salisbury Cathedral three years after the chemical weapons attack

Mr Mansfield said: 'We are in less than a Twilight Zone (without having the transcripts), it's rather dark, until we know we can't act on it.'

He acknowledged the Skripals's 'potential trauma' if they were to give evidence.

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Jack Holborn, representing the Skripals, spoke of concerns over security measures for them if they give evidence, as well as the potential 'distress' of appearing in court.

The Government's KC, Cathryn McGahey told the hearing: 'The safety of the Skripals is paramount.'

It was also heard that lawyers representing Ms Sturgess' family may not be able to question witnesses at the substantive inquiry hearings over fears that issues of national security and police workings may be revealed.

The family want to investigate the quality of the care she received before her death, Mr Mansfield said.

It is believed the Russian state ordered the attack on Skripal - who was jailed in Russia for spying in MI6 - on March 4 2018.

The suspected assassins – Russian intelligence officers Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin – were caught on CCTV as they travelled from Moscow to the Wiltshire cathedral city.

Sergei and his daughter Yulia (pictured) nearly died after Russian agents are believed to have sprayed military-grade chemical Novichok on the front door of their house

Dawn Sturgess (pictured) , 44, died four months after Skripal and his daughter were poisoned after she found a perfume bottle containing the nerve agent and sprayed it on her wrist

A third suspect, senior Russian agent Denis Sergeev, was believed to be the on-the-ground commander. All three fled back to Russia after their failed murder attempt.

It took almost exactly a year for Salisbury to finally be declared clear of all traces of the deadly nerve agent. Police say it could have killed thousands.

Following the attack, the Skripals were heavily sedated and given drugs to protect them from the side effects.

Yulia was discharged in the April and Sergei in mid-May. He then joined her in hiding but had to be closely monitored by a doctor.

Britain responded to the poisoning of the Skripals by expelling 23 Russian diplomats. The United States expelled 150.

In the weeks after the poisoning, Putin claimed that Mishkin and Chepiga were innocent tourists and denied any Russian involvement.

In 1995, Sergei Skripal, a high-ranking member of Russian Intelligence, became a double-agent working for Britain. After nine years of passing secrets to MI6, he was caught by the Russian authorities and sentenced to 13 years in a penal colony.

Then, in 2010, he was pardoned by President Dmitry Medvedev and sent to the UK as part of a spy-swap deal. Sergei and his wife Liudmila began a new life in Wiltshire.