Police chief urges Harry Dunn’s family spokesman to show ‘constraint’

The British police chief leading a probe into the death of a teenage motorcyclist revealed today that the US suspect wants UK officers to interview her in America.

Harry Dunn, 19, died after a car driven by Anne Sacoolas collided with his motorbike near RAF Croughton, an air force base in Northamptonshire, on August 27.

Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley revealed today that officers would travel to the US to question 42-year-old American citizen Mrs Sacoolas.

In a press conference which he admitted was ‘unprecedented’, he laid out the facts about the police’s role in the probe and also criticised the Dunn family’s spokesman.

Mr Adderley urged Radd Seiger to ‘exercise constraint in his commentary’ and told how Mrs Sacoolas had asked to be interviewed in the US under caution.

He also revealed the suspect had left the UK by the time the Foreign Office told the force a waiver applied for against her diplomatic immunity had been declined.

And he defended the handling of the case, saying: ‘If the circumstances remained the same and the same again happened we would take the same course of action.’ 

Pictured: Harry Dunn

British police will travel to the US to interview Anne Sacoolas (left), the American diplomat’s wife accused of driving the car that crashed into and killed Harry Dunn (right) 

It comes after Harry’s parents Charlotte Charles and Harry Dunn cancelled a meeting with Mr Adderley because they say he is refusing to answer their questions.

Mr Adderley said in a press conference this morning: ‘This is a live investigation, and a live investigation deserves all the protections of law.

‘The police have to act with impartiality. What we don’t want to do, and we don’t want anyone else to do, is to jeopardise this investigation as it moves forward.

‘(Harry’s parents) Tim and Charlotte have conducted themselves with dignity and grace, working closely with Northamptonshire Police and the legal team.

‘I urge the family spokesman to exercise constraint in his commentary as this case moves forward. I understand the emotion and I understand the anxiety.

‘I also understand the will and the want for answers to the questions that the family are asking. But I do urge him to exercise constraint in his commentary because it is not helpful.’

But on Monday evening Mr Seiger hit back at the police chief’s comments, saying he will ‘not take advice’ on what he says publicly.

Speaking after a meeting with shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, Mr Seiger said: ‘Nick Adderley is a wonderful chief constable, he runs a great force there in Northamptonshire and we all respect him, so I’ve got no personal battle against him.

‘But I certainly don’t take my advice from him over when I speak publicly and what I say publicly.

‘I am well aware of my responsibilities not to jeopardise a fair trial.

‘But let’s be honest, if I had not put my arm around this family and come and worked with (the media), that mountain would not have been moved.’

How events unfolded in the Harry Dunn case

August 27: Motorcyclist Harry Dunn, 19, collides with a black Volvo XC90 on the B4031 in Croughton at about 8.25pm. Harry is taken to hospital but dies shortly afterwards. Suspect Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat, speaks to police officers at the scene

August 28: Police visit the house of Mrs Sacoolas, where she gives an account of what happened. Police also apply for a waiver against Mrs Sacoolas’s diplomatic immunity.

August 29: The family are appointed with police family liaison officers. 

September 16: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office tell police that the diplomatic waiver has been declined. Police are also told that Mrs Sacoolas has left the UK sometime between August 28 and September 16  

September 18: Hundreds of friends and family attend Harry’s funeral at Banbury Crematorium. 

September 23: Family tell liaison officer that they have learned that Sacoolas has left the UK 

September 26: Harry’s family is informed that Mrs Sacoolas has left the UK. Police say they wanted to meet on September 24, but the family could not do this until September 26.

October 2: Harry’s family create the ‘Justice 4 Harry’ GoFundMe page to help pay for any legal costs needed to bring Anne Sacoolas back to the UK.

October 4: Police confirm ‘a 42-year-old American suspect’ has left the UK

October 5: US State Department says diplomatic immunity is ‘rarely waived’

October 6: Sky News name Anne Sacoolas as the suspect in the case.    

October 7: Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley speaks on BBC Radio 4 to urge Mrs Sacoolas to ‘do the right thing’ and face justice in the UK.

October 9: Harry’s family reportedly come away ‘angry and frustrated’ from a meeting with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

October 12: Mrs Sacoolas’s return to the US is said to have rendered her diplomatic immunity status irrelevant.

October 14: Harry’s parents fly to New York for media campaign to raise awareness of their son’s death.

October 15: Harry’s parents are invited to the White House where they meet President Trump. While there, Mr Trump asks if they want to meet Anne Sacoolas, who was said to be in a room next door. Charlotte and Tim refuse.  

October 19: Charlotte and Tim are told police have handed their file to the CPS

October 20: Dominic Raab says he had asked the force to withhold the news that Mrs Sacoolas had left the UK from the family ‘for a day or two’.

October 21: Harry’s parents admit their hopes of meeting Mrs Sacoolas in the UK have ‘become quite slim’.

October 22: Harry’s parents say they feel they have been lied to by both governments and the police. Police defend their investigation. Family are due to meet with shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry. 

He added: ‘We have had a little bit of success in raising the profile of the campaign but it has been absolutely exhausting, as you can imagine.

‘We would love it to stop, but we will not rest until we get justice for Harry.

‘That means two things, Mrs Sacoolas must come back, and the family want answers as to how the authorities have conducted themselves.

‘They won’t stop until they get the truth. I’m sorry if that upsets the authorities.’

Harry’s parents cancelled a meeting with Mr Adderly after saying it was ‘totally unacceptable’ that he would be unable to respond to their concerns about the case.

But Mr Adderley said today: ‘I have offered to go and see the family on two occasions now and on both occasions that has not been able to happen.

‘The reason for that not taking place is because the information being asked for by the spokesman – who is not their lawyer, by the way – I legally cannot provide.’

Mr Adderley also said the ‘suspect’ – who they did not name – had asked to be interviewed by UK police officers in the US under caution.

He added: ‘This investigation has not stalled, it has not slowed down. The suspect not being in the county clearly frustrates the investigation but it does not stop it.’

Police also said Mrs Sacoolas co-operated with police at the scene, and gave an account of what happened when police visited her home on the following day.

Mr Adderley said that at that point diplomatic immunity was mentioned, and on that same day Northamptonshire Police applied for a waiver.

He insisted there was ‘nothing more the police can do’ at that stage until there was a conclusion on whether the waiver was granted.

On September 16, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the force that the waiver had been declined and the suspect had left the UK.

He also said that the information being asked for by Mr Seiger cannot legally be provided, which is why he has not answered all the questions being asked of him. 

Mr Adderley said: ‘Lawyers have clearly stated that the suspect wants to be personally interviewed by officers from Northamptonshire Police in order for them to see her and the devastation this has caused her and her family.

‘She did not want to provide a pre-prepared statement which is her right to do so. We do understand from colleagues in the US that the family is utterly devastated.’

He added that the force were awaiting the necessary visas before officers could travel to the US, but that the suspect would be interviewed under caution once that could take place.

Mr Adderley said: ‘A file of evidence has been handed to the Crown Prosecution Service but as you will appreciate that file is incomplete.

‘You can’t complete the file until you have an account from the suspect and that is one of the reasons why we are not naming her.’

He added: ‘From the police’s point of view we have to make sure we maintain the integrity of all of the evidence and that it is not skewed by [the diplomatic immunity debate] to ensure a fair trial should we get to an extradition position and she comes back to the UK.

‘We don’t want to jeopardise that by not affording her a fair trial.’

Mr Adderley refused to reveal how the Dunn family had learned the suspect had left the UK, but said it had not been a leak from Northamptonshire Police or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

‘It was unfortunate but it was legitimate’, he said.

When asked if Mrs Sacoolas would have been charged by now had she been British he said it was unlikely as on average it takes 16 weeks for a fatal collision file to be put together. 

The family of Harry Dunn (left to right) Tim Dunn (Harry's father), Charlotte Charles (Harry's mother), Tracey Dunn and Bruce Charles, arrive at Portcullis House in London for a meeting with Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry today

The family of Harry Dunn (left to right) Tim Dunn (Harry’s father), Charlotte Charles (Harry’s mother), Tracey Dunn and Bruce Charles, arrive at Portcullis House in London for a meeting with Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry today

Charlotte Charles waves as she arrives at Portcullis House in London for the meeting today

Charlotte Charles waves as she arrives at Portcullis House in London for the meeting today

‘It is likely that she would have been interviewed by now and the full file may be being talked through with the Crown Prosecution Service but we would not be any further forward,’ he said.

When asked whether he would change the way the case was handled, Mr Adderley replied: ‘I can see that if the circumstances remained the same and the same again happened we would take the same course of action.

‘I would not change the way the police have dealt with this to date.’

He said that although Mrs Sacoolas had been breathalysed at the scene and given an initial account, this first account could not be treated in the same way as an interview under caution. 

Speaking to reporters after the press conference, Mr Adderley said he would not say he has been frustrated with the Foreign Office or the US administration during the course of the investigation.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured in Westminster this morning) has revealed Britain knew Mrs Sacoolas was going to leave the UK - but was unable to stop her

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured in Westminster this morning) has revealed Britain knew Mrs Sacoolas was going to leave the UK – but was unable to stop her

He said: ‘I wouldn’t say frustrated. I think the bureaucracy… and finding out diplomatic immunity was applicable to the suspect, has caused frustration in the investigation.

Family spokesman hits back at claims by police that he is ‘not helpful’

The family’s spokesman for Harry Dunn’s family hit back at claims by Northamptonshire Police today that his interventions had been ‘not helpful.’

Radd Seiger, who is American, has been speaking out forcefully on behalf of the family in an attempt to get them justice and is chairman of the Justice 4 Harry Committee.

Radd Seiger, pictured in New York last week

Radd Seiger, pictured in New York last week 

He said today: ”Apparently I’m not the Chief Constable’s favourite person at the moment and he wants me to show restraint in my public commentary. But if it was not for me, this family would be nowhere.

‘It cuts both ways. If they (the police) had shared information with the family and kept them updated in accordance with the Victim Code, you would not see me.

‘The family were desperate, they were getting nowhere and look what happens when you shake the tree, fruit falls. I’m sorry if he doesn’t like my public commentary but the family do, it’s got us progress. Frankly, my job is not to keep the chief constable happy.’

Mr Seiger added that Mr Adderley had also been ‘caught out’ during his press conference when he provided a timeline of events, surrounding Harry’s death and the circumstances under which Mrs Sacoolas was allowed to leave Britain.

Mr Seiger said: ‘We have been doing some fact checking and Mr Adderley and the police have been caught out. If they had handled matters properly in the first place we would not be in this situation.

‘We are considering making a formal complaint to the police ombudsman over the way the Northamptonshire force have conducted themselves.

‘That is just one of the options that is being considered because believe me, the family are not happy over the way the police dealt with them.’

Mr Seiger said: ‘For example, the family were told that the police had passed a file to the CPS. Then they were informed yesterday that offices were travelling to the US to interview Mrs Sacoolas.

‘This is contradictory; why would they need to speak to her if a file has already been passed? There was also a ten day delay in informing the Dunn family that Mrs Sacoolas had left the country.

‘Initially, police said that they had spoken with Mrs Sacoolas at the scene and then Mr Adderley said in his press conference that they still require an account from her.’

 

‘I want to make the point that we have fast-tracked the investigation – the average time to investigate a road traffic collision is 16 weeks, and we have got the file almost ready for the CPS to make a decision and we have done that in little over eight weeks.

‘We can’t complete that file, of course, until we get the account from the suspect, which is what we are working towards – hopefully in the next 10 days.’

Asked if he accepted the force had caused unnecessary trauma to Harry Dunn’s family by delaying telling them that Mrs Sacoolas had left the country, Mr Adderley said: ‘It was very much a judgment call.

‘It’s a call the officers investigating the case have to make and when we got the information on the day the waiver had been declined, so the diplomatic immunity was now applicable… it was at that time we were informed of that decision.

‘It is a decision I actually support. Is it ideal that they found out through different means? No it’s not ideal.

‘But actually, the decision to tell a grieving family… is something we will reflect on and if Charlotte and Tim have been upset by that delay that is something I am prepared to apologise for – but it is a decision I would still support.’

The family cancelled a meeting with Mr Adderley when ‘it became clear that his intention was merely to offer his condolences eight weeks on from the tragedy’.

And, following the police press conference, Mr Seiger said today: ‘Apparently I’m not the Chief Constable’s favourite person at the moment and he wants me to show restraint in my public commentary. 

‘But if it was not for me, this family would be nowhere. It cuts both ways. If they (the police) had shared information with the family and kept them updated in accordance with the Victim Code, you would not see me.

‘The family were desperate, they were getting nowhere and look what happens when you shake the tree, fruit falls. I’m sorry if he doesn’t like my public commentary but the family do, it’s got us progress. Frankly, my job is not to keep the chief constable happy.’

Mr Seiger added that Mr Adderley had also been ‘caught out’ during his press conference when he provided a timeline of events, surrounding Harry’s death and the circumstances under which Mrs Sacoolas was allowed to leave Britain.

Mr Seiger said: ‘We have been doing some fact checking and Mr Adderley and the police have been caught out. If they had handled matters properly in the first place we would not be in this situation.

‘We are considering making a formal complaint to the police ombudsman over the way the Northamptonshire force have conducted themselves.

‘That is just one of the options that is being considered because believe me, the family are not happy over the way the police dealt with them.’

Speaking about how the police were ‘caught out’, Mr Seiger continuted: ‘For example, the family were told that the police had passed a file to the CPS. 

Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley (centre) at a press conference today 

‘Then they were informed yesterday that offices were travelling to the US to interview Mrs Sacoolas.

‘This is contradictory; why would they need to speak to her if a file has already been passed? There was also a ten day delay in informing the Dunn family that Mrs Sacoolas had left the country.

‘Initially, police said that they had spoken with Mrs Sacoolas at the scene and then Mr Adderley said in his press conference that they still require an account from her.’

In a highly charged statement yesterday, Mr Seiger said: ‘Every moment that passes without those answers only compounds the family’s pain and misery.’ 

Mr Seiger said that the police and the Foreign Office appear to have ‘little or no concern or understanding of the impact’ that the lack of information is having. 

Northamptonshire Police refused to comment on the family’s claims – and instead announced that Mr Adderley would hold a press conference today.

Miss Charles and Mr Dunn, will today meet with shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who is expected to call for a Parliamentary inquiry into the death.

Harry’s parents have repeatedly said that they want full responses to a string of unanswered questions.

Crucially, they want to know why Sacoolas was able to claim diplomatic immunity and leave the country.

Mr Seiger said: ‘It is with sadness and regret that Harry Dunn’s parents have cancelled a meeting with Northamptonshire Chief Constable which was scheduled for this Wednesday.

Mr Adderley speaks outside Northamptonshire Police HQ at Wootton Hall Park this morning

Mr Adderley speaks outside Northamptonshire Police HQ at Wootton Hall Park this morning

‘When it became clear that his intention was merely to offer his condolences some eight weeks on from the tragedy, instead of answering a series key questions put to him over the weekend, they felt both theirs and the chief’s time were better spent elsewhere.

‘The time for condolences has long since passed and the answers to the many questions about Anne Sacoolas’s departure and next steps are long overdue.’ Harry’s family admitted yesterday that their hopes of getting Mrs Sacoolas to return to the UK to meet them have ‘become quite slim’.

‘We hoped that she would do the right thing as a human and face the justice system,’ Mrs Charles told ITV’s This Morning.

‘We would still work with her but to be honest our hopes of meeting have become quite slim.

Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles, the parents of Harry Dunn, on ITV's This Morning yesterday

Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles, the parents of Harry Dunn, on ITV’s This Morning yesterday

‘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.’

Mrs Charles then made an emotional plea to Mrs Sacoolas, who ploughed into Harry while driving on the wrong side of the road near RAF Croughton, to return.

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.’

Last week Mrs Sacoolas finally admitted she was driving on the wrong side of the road when the teenager came towards her on a motorbike over a hill.

The mother of three said she had ‘no time to react’ and spoke to the fatally injured Harry before comforting two of her children who were with her.

Harry Dunn

The evidence includes CCTV footage of US citizen Anne Sacoolas, 42, driving on the wrong side of the road

Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn were told 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

Mrs Sacoolas, whose husband worked as US intelligence officer on the RAF base, said she was ‘terribly, terribly sorry for that tragic mistake’.

But she has repeatedly refused to say if she was willing to return to the UK.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab revealed last night that Britain knew Mrs Sacoolas was going to leave the country – but was unable to stop her.

Mr Raab said that the US government informed Foreign Office officials in mid-September that Mrs Sacoolas would go back to America ‘imminently’ after the crash.

But he said attempts to have her remain in the UK for ‘justice to be done’ over the death of Harry were unsuccessful and the police were unable to legally prevent Sacoolas from leaving. 

Harry's family, including parents Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles (pictured on October 15), have been told that the officers will conduct an interview with the suspect

Harry’s family, including parents Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles (pictured on October 15), have been told that the officers will conduct an interview with the suspect

Commenting on Mr Raab’s statement, Mr Seiger said: ‘The family just has absolutely no confidence in Dominic Raab.

‘He said we didn’t go to him or his department for help while we were in the United States – that’s because he is the last person we would go to for help after the meeting we had with him.

‘The family are angry tonight. They are probably angrier now than they have been at any stage in this entire process.

‘Dominic Raab said the ball is in Northamptonshire Police’s court for keeping us up-to-date with the investigation. 

‘The chief constable has told us he can’t answer the questions we had for him. Somebody is lying and the family are sick of it.’ 

Mr Raab announced yesterday that Britain was reviewing its policy on diplomatic immunity, which would stop family members having such protection in future.

In a statement to the Commons, he said: ‘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 the arrangements at Croughton cannot be used in this way again.’ He said the review would be conducted before the end of the year.

‘Our view remains that justice remains to be done,’ he added.

His comments came after it emerged that Northamptonshire Police has handed over its file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The evidence includes CCTV footage of Sacoolas driving on the wrong side of the road.

The CPS will review the evidence and decide if it is strong enough for criminal charges to be brought. 

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

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

If the evidence passes that test, an extradition request could be made to the US for her arrest. 

Family spokesman Radd Seiger said on Twitter: ‘Yesterday the family were told the police had passed their file to the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) yet tonight were informed that the police were travelling to the USA to interview Mrs Sacoolas.

‘Those two statements appear to be contradictory on the face of it, further compounding the family’s misery.’

Harry’s parents say they believe the US is ‘intent on ruthlessly and aggressively’ protecting Sacoolas.

They accused President Donald Trump of trying to ‘railroad’ them into meeting Sacoolas for a photo opportunity at the White House last week.

The family’s spokesman described it as a ‘trap’ and an ‘ambush’. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk