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The Foreign Office failed to treat as a crisis the case of an American woman who fled the country claiming diplomatic immunity after a British teenager was killed in a road accident, an independent review has concluded.
There were “failures and omissions” in management. Case after the death of Harry DunnAnd opportunities to influence the US were lost, the government has been told.
David Lammy, when he was Foreign Secretary in July, started a review How is the matter of anne sacoolas – A suspect was then dealt with.
Senior British officials told the US government they should feel “able” to put Sacoolas on the next flight home after the fatal road accident.
19-year-old Dunn died after being hit by a car driven by Saculus crashed his motorcycle near the exit of RAF Crouton In Northamptonshire In August 2019, she was driving on the wrong side of the road.
Saculus, who was the wife of a CIA operative working near the airbase, claimed diplomatic immunity Under a legal loophole unknown at the time to most of the politicians and police officers who first interrogated him.
Anne Owers, former chief inspector of prisons, who led the review, highlighted report There were “failures and omissions” in the department’s handling of the case, including a failure to recognize the family as allies in achieving justice.
It is understood Dame Anne told the Dunn family it was her “strong view” that the then Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, should have been involved “much earlier in the process” after being copied in a note to her private office three days after the crash, expressing fears over potential “unsavory headlines”.
She recommends that in future, Deaths under extraordinary circumstancesSuch as diplomatic immunity, ministers and senior officials should be given an “immediate increase of resources” with mandatory prompt escalation.
Their report makes 12 recommendations, focused on improving government responses to deaths and serious incidents, and support for families and victims.
At the time, the US government was believed to be taking advantage of a loophole in the immunity agreement at the US air base RAF Croton, which provided immunity to dependents of administrative and technical staff, but not to the staff themselves.
Dame Anne’s report says: “From the documents I have seen, there is no doubt that those directly involved expected the US to, as one put it, ‘do the right thing’, irrespective of any other considerations. But there was a considerable delay in recognizing that this should be a priority across the whole department, and in elevating it to a sufficiently senior level.”
Sacoolas eventually pleaded guilty via video link at the Old Bailey in December 2022 to careless driving and causing death. Received a prison sentence of eight monthsSuspended for 12 months.
In response to review, Harry Dunn’s mother, Charlotte CharlesSaid: “The report confirms what we have been living with every day for more than six years – that mistakes were made, that opportunities were missed and that our family was not treated with the honesty or urgency that any grieving parent deserves.”
The findings of the report will be placed before Parliament. The government says it has fully accepted all the report recommendations, 10 of which relate to the Foreign Office, one to the Ministry of Justice and one to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “We are committed to learning the lessons from this tragedy, particularly on supporting victims, ensuring that no family facing such a crisis has to struggle to get the support they deserve.”
Dame Anne said she believed the relationship with the family had subsequently developed into a more positive government approach and brought about significant change.
Since 2019, the government has barred US citizens from claiming immunity from criminal prosecution.