He gave his girlfriend what he thought was fancy perfume. It contained deadly poison from Russian spies

A Charity Bin Treasure Turned Deadly: Charlie Rowley’s Unforgettable Story

He gave his girlfriend what he thought – Viewers are invited to witness the premiere of a compelling CNN Films documentary titled “The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door,” scheduled for Sunday evening at 8pm ET/PT on CNN. The film chronicles how an ordinary man’s life was forever altered by an unexpected encounter with a deadly substance.

From Charity Bin to International Crisis

Charlie Rowley’s extraordinary journey began on a warm summer afternoon in Amesbury, England. While rummaging through a local charity donation bin, he discovered a small cardboard container. Wrapped in protective plastic was a glass bottle bearing the Nina Ricci label. Believing he had found a discarded luxury fragrance, Rowley brought it home as a surprise for his girlfriend, Dawn Sturgess.

For years, Rowley had enjoyed searching through discarded items, often retrieving televisions and other valuable household goods. That particular day in June 2018, however, he harbored a different hope. Dawn had frequently mentioned wanting an engagement ring, specifically a sapphire one, and Rowley wondered if fortune would smile upon him.

“She often made comments about getting her an engagement ring … a sapphire ring,” he told CNN in a recent interview.

What Rowley did not know was that the bottle contained Novichok, the same Russian nerve agent that had been deployed three months earlier to poison a former intelligence officer in nearby Salisbury. The consequences would be devastating.

A Tragic Chain of Events

Dawn sprayed the perfume, sniffed it, and applied a small amount to her wrist. Within moments, she began feeling strange. She complained of a headache, then became unresponsive. Rowley attempted to revive her, describing the experience as unfolding in slow motion.

“I thought it was a genuine, nice gift, and she was pleased to receive it. But it went so tragically wrong so quick,” he recalled.

Later that day, Rowley himself succumbed to the poison. Drenched in sweat and rocking back and forth, he mumbled incoherently as Novichok took hold of his system. He lapsed into a coma and spent weeks in the hospital, with fragmented memories of the incident. After his discharge, a stroke forced him back into medical care for an extended period.

“I’ve tried to put it to the back of my mind. I didn’t expect this to happen to me, or Dawn,” he told CNN.

Love and Loss

The couple had been dating for approximately one year after meeting at a facility for unhoused individuals, where Dawn resided. Rowley had recently moved into a new home and was preparing it for her to join him. Their relationship centered on simple joys, including the treasures Rowley collected from charity bins outside public venues.

“It did carry a bit of stigma being seen in a bin,” he said. “But it reaped its rewards most times.”

In their leisure time, they enjoyed music and cinema. Dawn favored Bob Marley and action movies rather than romantic comedies. Occasionally, they visited local fun fairs, wandering through stalls and sharing laughter.

On June 28, two days after finding the bottle, Rowley presented it to Dawn. They were watching television at midday on a Saturday, having spent the previous day at Queen Elizabeth Gardens—a scenic riverside park overlooking Salisbury Cathedral, which boasts the tallest spire in Britain. Dawn recognized the brand immediately and appeared delighted.

Rowley noticed something peculiar about the nozzle, which came separately and required manual attachment. The perfume had an oily consistency and lacked any discernible fragrance.

“Very strange — a perfume with no smell,” he recalled thinking.

Eight years later, Rowley still struggles to articulate what transpired. The ordeal thrust him into a geopolitical struggle between Russian and British intelligence agencies, transforming him from an unsuspecting local into a collateral victim of international espionage.

“Who knew that there was a spy living in Salisbury? It was a shock,” Rowley said. “Who would have thought it (poison) would reappear in a bottle?”

Through the new documentary, Rowley shares his story alongside others whose lives were irrevocably changed by the attacks. He often pauses mid-sentence, his eyes welling with tears, reflecting on a day when a simple gift became a nightmare.

“And things haven’t been the same since.”