SERGEI Skripal's former neighbour spoke at the Inquiry about what he knew about Sergei's background.
On Monday, October 28, the Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry resumed in London at the International Dispute Resolution Centre.
Ross Cassidy, friend and former next door neighbour of Mr Skripal, gave evidence relating to the investigations.
READ MORE: Live: Dawn Sturgess Inquiry week two begins in London
Mr Cassidy told the hearing how Mr Skripal and his family moved in next door to him on Devizes Road, in about 2010, and they and their wives became good friends.
He said: "We exchanged BBQs, Sergei amused me in an ironic sort of way. People that amuse me always open the door of friendship."
Member of the counsel to the Inquiry Mr O'Connor asked if Mr Cassidy and Mr Skripal enjoyed drinking together. 'We did indeed', Mr Cassidy responded.
The haulage contractor said he had heard about Mr Skripal's time in Russia, including in the Military.
Sergei told Mr Cassidy he could "not go back to Russia" or there would be "reprisals"
"He would not go into much details, but said he knew leader Putin personally and said Putin would 'get him'."
Responding to questions from Mr O'Connor, Mr Cassidy said: “They were all from separate occasions but, yes, he did talk about reprisals.
READ MORE: People fell ill after being near Skripals after poisoning
“But I remember it specifically when he said about Putin will get him.”
Mr Cassidy explained how Mr Skripal talked about this to his friends at a “gathering of us chaps on a Sunday”.
He said that, prior to giving evidence at the inquiry, he checked with those friends, asking them “he did say that, didn’t he?” and they confirmed it.
Mr Cassidy told the inquiry that he and his wife, Maureen Cassidy, Googled Mr Skripal and learnt that he was involved in spying on Russia. They did not tell Mr Skripal they knew this.
On March 3, 2018, the day before Mr Skripal was poisoned, Mr and Mrs Cassidy had taken him to Heathrow to collect his daughter, Yulia Skripal.
The following day, March 4, 2018, Mr Cassidy called Sergei to talk to him about fixing his shower as they had discussed the day before.
This was just hours before Mr Skripal and Ms Skripal were found seriously unwell on a park bench in the Maltings.
Mr Cassidy said: "I do recall Sergei appeared to be surprised to hear from me, as if he was expecting to hear from someone else. He recovered quickly, and then he was talking to me as he would normally.
"In addition to this, when I do call Sergei, I have rarely known him to answer the phone, he screens his calls using answer phone. He would normally call me back instead of answering the phone. I do not leave messages on his phone."
To read the full account of the events, follow along here.
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