Britain is reviewing the rules that allowed a US diplomat’s wife to leave the country after she was involved in a fatal car crash, foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Monday.
Harry Dunn, 19, died after a car driven by Anne Sacoolas is alleged to have collided with his motorbike near RAF Croughton, an air force base in Northamptonshire used by the US military.
As well as a review into diplomatic immunity, the foreign secretary also admitted the US told Britain that Sacoolas was planning to leave the country, but UK police were unable to legally stop her.
Raab told the House of Commons today: ‘I have already commissioned a review of the immunity arrangements for U.S. personnel and their families at Croughton.
‘As this case has demonstrated, I do not believe the current arrangements are right and the review will look at how we can make sure that the arrangements at Croughton cannot be used in this way again.’
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab says that Britain will review rules on diplomatic immunity at RAF Croughton after Anne Sacoolas fled to the US shortly after crashing into and killing Harry Dunn, 19, near the air force base
He added that the government will ‘continue to fight for justice’ for the Dunn family.
It comes after Harry Dunn’s parents admitted their hopes of meeting the woman who is said to have killed their son while driving on the wrong side of the road have ‘become quite slim’, following a meeting with President Donald Trump in the White House.
Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles revealed their Oval Office meeting with Trump failed when National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien made clear Anne Sacoolas would under no circumstances be returning to the UK.
The distraught parents said: ‘O’Brien was there next to Trump and he said ‘she is never coming back to the UK,” before describing him as ‘quite aggressive.’
Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles revealed their Oval Office meeting with President Trump was soured when National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien told them Anne Sacoolas would under no circumstances be returning to the UK
Ms Charles made an emotional plea to Mrs Sacoolas, who ploughed into 19-year-old Harry Dunn while driving on the wrong side of the road near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire
The pair then emotionally explained how they refused to meet Mrs Sacoolas, who was in another room waiting for a reconciliation, because they promised their late son that they would get justice for him on UK soil.
Ms Charles said: ‘Our immediate reaction was no straight away. We made a promise to Harry and we said we would get justice on UK soil because the evidence was already there.
‘If we meet her we need therapists around us, we don’t want to be thrown together.’
‘We hoped that she would do the right thing as a human and face the justice system. We would still work with her but to be honest our hopes of meeting have become quite slim.’
Speaking on This Morning with Eamon Holmes and Langsford, the bereaved parents accepted that there is a chance they won’t get the justice they want.
Ms Charles said: ‘They were aware we were going to work with police to get her sentence suspended so she wouldn’t be taken from her children.
The pair revealed that they refused to meet Mrs Sacoolas, who was in another room waiting for a reconciliation, because they promised their son that they would get justice for him on UK soil
The evidence includes CCTV footage of US citizen Mrs Sacoolas, 42, driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton – a spy hub in Northamptonshire – almost eight weeks ago before crashing head-on into the 19-year-old motorcyclist
‘We have considered that we may not win but if justice means not getting her back but getting the truth then that’s a win.
They said: ‘O’Brien (pictured) was there next to Trump and said ‘she is never coming back to the UK’ – he was quite aggressive’
‘We want to know who made the decision for her to go? When did she go? Who allowed her to leave?
Tim: ‘They lied to us. They said she had immunity and then didn’t have immunity.’
The pair then cast doubt on the efforts of the Foreign Secretary, telling viewers they were ‘sceptical’ after Dominic Raab admitted to them he delayed informing them that Mrs Sacoolas had left the country.
Ms Charles then made an emotional plea to Mrs Sacoolas, who ploughed into 19-year-old Harry Dunn while driving on the wrong side of the road near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.
She said: ‘Come back to the UK. We’re not horrible people.
‘We know she must be suffering – her two children were in the car – they must be suffering too. We want her to come back.’
Yesterday, Harry’s family called for prosecutors to ‘get on with it’ after learning vital evidence has been passed on to them.
Ms Charles and Mr Dunn were told that police have handed their file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Charlotte Charles (left with son Harry) and Tim Dunn were told yesterday that police have handed their file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The evidence includes CCTV footage of US citizen Anne Sacoolas (right), 42, driving on the wrong side of the road
The evidence includes CCTV footage of US citizen Mrs Sacoolas, 42, driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton – a spy hub in Northamptonshire – almost eight weeks ago before crashing head-on into the 19-year-old motorcyclist.
She used her husband’s status as a US intelligence officer to claim diplomatic immunity before leaving Britain.
But her immunity from prosecution has expired because he is no longer in his post, according to the Foreign Office.
The CPS will decide whether the evidence is strong enough for charges to be brought. Then an extradition request could be made to the US for her arrest.
Last night, Radd Seiger, a spokesman for Harry’s parents, urged the CPS to make a quick decision to avoid keeping the family ‘stuck in limbo’.
The pair then cast doubt on the efforts of the Foreign Secretary, telling viewers they were ‘sceptical’ after Dominic Raab admitted to them he delayed informing them that Mrs Sacoolas had left the country
He said: ‘Come on, let’s get on with it. For us that would be a big step if an extradition request was submitted to the US.
‘That would be one giant step towards achieving closure. It’s not a game – this family are grieving.’
Labour has called for an urgent parliamentary inquiry into the Government’s handling of the case after the Foreign Office admitted hiding information from the teenager’s family.
Police were told Mrs Sacoolas had left Britain on September 16 after being granted diplomatic immunity.
Harry’s parents claim they were not informed until ten days later.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said: ‘It now looks increasingly clear that the Foreign Secretary and his officials have something to hide in terms of how they responded to this dreadful tragedy.
The CPS will decide whether the evidence is strong enough for charges to be brought. Then an extradition request could be made to the US for her arrest. Pictured: Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles
‘The rights, justice and answers that are due to Harry Dunn’s grieving family can no longer be denied.’
Meanwhile donations to Harry’s campaign more than doubled during his family’s visit to the US.
Harry’s parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn spent all of last week in the US, participating in a number of high profile media interviews and also had a controversial meeting with Donald Trump.
Prior to leaving, Harry’s GoFundMe page stood at just over £30,000 with a target to reach £75,000.
Since the widespread coverage of their US trip, it now stands at over £66,000 and the target has been increased to £100,000.
The money has been raised from 2,000 donors from 24 countries including New Zealand, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal.
Mr Seiger described the US trip as ‘highly successful.’
Mr Seiger added: ‘Since that appeal, the family can’t quite believe the wonderful further support they are receiving from the public and are frankly overwhelmed as they have watched the donations flood in.
‘They are incredibly grateful from the bottom of their hearts for all this support.’