Harry Dunn's mother blasts wife of US diplomat who killed her teenage son in horror accident after snubbing investigation into his death

Lina Portman4 weeks ago

1 6 minutes read

HARRY Dunn's “disappointed” mother today slammed her son's killer after refusing to attend an inquest into his death, in a final blow.

Anne Sacoolas collided with the 19-year-old's motorbike while driving on the wrong side of the road after leaving RAF Croughton in 2019.

Harry Dunn was killed in a horror road crash in Northamptonshire in August 2019Credit: PA

Anne Sacoolas hit Harry then fled to the United States, citing diplomatic immunity.

Mom Charlotte Charles slammed Sacoolas todayCredit: PA

The government employee was granted diplomatic immunity after the accident and returned to the United States.

Sacoolas, who admitted to causing death by conducthad to attend an inquest so Harry's family would have the chance to question him about his death.

But Northampton Coroner's Court heard she “did not wish” to give live evidence and instead provided a written statement.

Mum Charlotte Charles said: “I wanted to say that learning that Anne Sacoolas would not be taking part in the Harry inquest this week was bitterly disappointing and, as a mother, it is completely incomprehensible to me.

“She could have chosen to give me and our family this opportunity to finally understand what led to Harry’s death that night.

“But no. I'm indescribably hurt that she chose to hide instead. It can't help but be disrespectful to Harry, the life he had, and the future he lost.”

It's another blow for Charlotte and Harry's father Tim Dunn after they were forced to wait three years for justice when Sacoolas fled the UK.

Their battle included a trip to the White House to appeal to then-President Donald Trump and endless meetings with politicians.

In 2022, the mother was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after finally admitting her role in the accident.

In a heartbreaking statement today, Charlotte held back tears as she paid tribute to her “dynamic, caring, funny and terribly protective” son.

Harry Dunn's parents fight for justice as Anne Sacoolas pleads guilty to causing 19-year-old motorcyclist's death by reckless driving

The mother added: “It's been almost five years since Harry's death and from the moment he passed away I have been determined to understand
what led to his death, what steps, if any, were or were not taken to address the risk of road damage outside US bases in the UK by US and UK authorities.

“And I hope that we will ensure that all the lessons that need to be learned are learned so that no other family has to endure the heartbreak and devastation that we have been through.”

She also told how Harry winter his cycling jacket still hangs in the family home, while his toothbrush and hair the wax is “where he left them” in the bathroom.

Charlotte added: “Harry was a high-principled young man. With that in mind, we want to make sure that part of his legacy is that our American visitors and those who live in and around American bases are safer. We do not want his passing to have been in vain.

“As a family, we have obviously been through a lot since Harry's death. However, we have learned that Harry was not the first to die in these circumstances, and unfortunately, he was not the last.

“We are deeply concerned that the issue of road safety outside US bases may have been neglected by both governments and I would like the coroner to investigate the reasons for this.

“I think Harry should still be alive today.”

As dad, Tim revealed his last words to his dying son were “I love you” as he comforted him on the side of the road.

He said he could hear Harry “groaning in pain” as he lay in agony after the accident.

Fight for justice

2019:

August 27:

Motorcyclist Harry Dunn collides with a Volvo outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.

Harry was taken to the John Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, but was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.

August 28:

Northamptonshire Police questioned 42-year-old suspect Anne Sacoolas, who was subsequently given diplomatic immunity.

September 15:

Sacoolas left the country on a US Air Force plane, but the Dunn family was not informed of his departure until three weeks later.

Northamptonshire Police are also not informed that she has left the UK.

October 4:

Harry's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, are calling on US President Donald Trump to intervene and lift Sacoolas' immunity.

October 5:

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged US Ambassador Woody Johnson to lift Sacoolas' immunity.

October 6:

Police write to the American embassy in London demanding that Sacoolas' immunity be lifted.

October 7:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the United States should “reconsider its position” on granting immunity to Sacoolas.

October 9:

Ms Charles and Mr Dunn attend a meeting with the Foreign Secretary, which leaves them “angry and frustrated” and feeling it is a “publicity stunt”.

Mr Johnson personally addresses Mr Trump to ask him to reconsider the US position on immunity granted to Sacoolas.

October 12:

Sacoolas breaks her silence and releases a statement through her attorney, saying the accident left her “devastated.”

October 13:

The Foreign Office is writing to Mr Dunn's family to say Sacoolas does not have diplomatic immunity.

It becomes clear that her husband was an intelligence officer and not a registered diplomat in a recognized role, and that neither he nor his wife are therefore entitled to diplomatic immunity.

October 14:

Mr. Dunn's family holds a news conference in New York after taking their fight for justice to the United States.

October 15:

Mr Dunn's family announce plans to launch a judicial review into advice given by the Foreign Office to Northamptonshire Police regarding diplomatic immunity granted to Sacoolas.

The White House calls an “urgent” meeting with Mr. Dunn's family and speaks with President Trump.

Ms. Charles and Mr. Dunn refuse to meet with Sacoolas, who was in the next room when they met with Mr. Trump.

October 20:

The Dunn family are told that Northamptonshire Police have referred a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision.

October 25:

Radd Seiger, spokesman for Harry's family, confirms they would take legal action against the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and refer Northamptonshire Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for their role in investigation.

October 31:

Northamptonshire Police confirm they have interviewed the suspect in this case in the US and are passing the evidence file to the CPS.

Superintendent Sarah Johnson said: “We can confirm that we have completed an interview with the suspect in relation to the death of Harry Dunn, details of which will be provided to the CPS for consideration along with the rest of the evidence package already submitted.”

November 10:

In a letter to Mr Dunn's family, the FCO said the legal proceedings against them and Mr Raab were “baseless”.

He also said he would “object and seek costs” of any judicial review.

November 12:

Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry criticizes Mr Raab for “threatening financial hardship” to the Dunn family.

December 17

Mr Dunn's family met Mr Raab again, and the Foreign Secretary later urged Ms Sacoolas to “come back to the UK and cooperate with the criminal justice process”.

December 20

The CPS charged Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving.

2022:

September 29

Sacoolas appears in a UK court for the first time via video link and is granted unconditional bail.

October 20

She pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving.

December 8

Sacoolas was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence and a 12-month driving ban.

June 10, 2024:

Government employee fails to appear at inquest into Harry's death

Tim added: “After a while one of the doctors came to me and explained that Harry was having trouble breathing and she thought sedating him to control his breathing would help.

“I spoke to Harry again, saying 'they're going to sedate you, son, to help you breathe and I'll see you in hospital.

“'Do what the doctors say and I love you.'

“Little did I know that those would be my last words and the last time I would see him alive.

“To this day, that part haunts me. I wish I had done more, said more and held him.”

The inquest will hear extracts from Sacoolas' interview with police in October 2019 and his witness statement written in December last year.

It will also assess what road safety training was provided at Sacoolas by the RAF and the United States and examine the response of emergency services.

Coroner Anne Pember said: “This is not a trial, no individual is on trial. There is no question of assigning blame. That is not the role of the coroner.”

The investigation continues.

Harry was on his motorbike at the time of the horror

Harry's family pictured at previous court hearing