Harry Dunn’s parents meet Priti Patel as she considers extraditing US spy’s wife charged over teen’s death
HARRY Dunn's family today met the Home Secretary as her department considers extraditing the US suspect charged with causing the teen's death by dangerous driving.
Priti Patel sat down with Harry's dad, Tim, just days after the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorised Northamptonshire Police to charge US citizen Anne Sacoolas.
The family said they were "incredibly reassured" to meet Ms Patel, who was accompanied by local MP Andrea Leadsom.
Tim Dunn said it had been a "very positive meeting".
He added: "She was open, friendly, warm and listened to what we had to say."
The CPS has said extradition proceedings had started, noting that the "Home Office is responsible for considering our request and deciding whether to formally issue this through US diplomatic channels".
Speaking after the meeting Ms Patel said she was "very grateful" to the family for meeting her during such a difficult and traumatic time.
She added: "It was a nice opportunity to hear from them, obviously about what they have been experiencing, what they have been going through, and to reassure them at what has been a very difficult and traumatic time for them."
'REASSURED'
Family spokesman Radd Seiger said the family were now "incredibly reassured this whole saga will be dealt with under the rule of law".
He added: "When you hear from some of the most senior politicians in the country you will go to bed reassured.
"They [the family] don't understand why this woman is still in America. This lady is absolutely entitled to a fair trial."
Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom, the Dunn family's local MP, said: "It's been fantastic to bring the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, to come and see Harry's family.
"Our hearts go out to them. It's the deepest, deepest tragedy for the Dunn family and nothing will ever bring Harry back.
"They seemed to be quite reassured that Priti has set out what the next steps are and I do think that will be able to give them a little bit of relief temporarily while that process continues.
"I've assured Harry's family I will do everything I can to get justice for Harry."
Harry's mum, Charlotte Charles, did not attend the meeting.
Mrs Sacoolas was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit 19-year-old Harry's motorbike outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27.
She claimed diplomatic immunity after the incident and returned to the US on September 15, sparking an international outcry.
A file of evidence was handed to the Crown Prosecution Service on November 1 after Northamptonshire Police interviewed the 42-year-old in the US.
On Friday, the Crown Prosecution Service said she had been charged with the most serious driving offence, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
The announcement sparked a war of words between Britain and its key ally, with the US State Department expressing its disappointment over the intended prosecution.
They insisted her extradition would be a serious abuse of international law giving diplomats immunity from prosecution which "would establish an extraordinarily troubling precedent."
Britain refuses to accept she was entitled to diplomatic immunity as her husband was not officially credited with his embassy in this country because of his reported intelligence role.
Harry's mum described the charge as a "huge step" towards justice she had promised her son.
Following the charging decision, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement: "I welcome the taking of a charging decision, which is an important step towards justice for Harry and towards solace for his family, but it is not the end.
"I hope that Anne Sacoolas will now realise the right thing to do is to come back to the UK and co-operate with the criminal justice process."
A statement from Amy Jeffress, Sacoolas's lawyer, said she had "co-operated fully with the investigation", adding: "But Anne will not return voluntarily to the United Kingdom to face a potential jail sentence for what was a terrible but unintentional accident."
Since the investigation into the teenager's death was launched, the family have taken their fight to the US and even met President Donald Trump at the White House.
The meeting with Mr Trump also sparked controversy after it later emerged that Sacoolas was in the room next door, ready to meet Harry's parents - an offer the teenager's family refused.
HARRY DUNN CRASH
- August 27:
Motorcyclist Harry Dunn collides with a Volvo outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.
Harry is taken to the John Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, but is pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
- August 28:
Northamptonshire Police interview 42-year-old suspect Anne Sacoolas, who is later granted diplomatic immunity.
- September 15:
Sacoolas leaves the country on a United States Air Force plane, but the Dunn family are not informed of her departure until three weeks later.
Northamptonshire Police are also not told that she has left the UK.
- October 4:
Harry's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, call on US President Donald Trump to intervene and waive immunity for Sacoolas.
- October 5:
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urges US Ambassador Woody Johnson to waive immunity for Sacoolas.
- October 6:
Police write to the US Embassy in London to demand immunity is waived for Sacoolas.
- October 7:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the US should "reconsider its position" on the immunity given to Sacoolas.
- October 9:
Mrs Charles and Mr Dunn attend a meeting with the Foreign Secretary which leaves them "angry and frustrated" and feeling as though it was a "publicity stunt".
Mr Johnson speaks to Mr Trump personally to ask him to reconsider the US's position on the immunity granted to Sacoolas.
- October 12:
Sacoolas breaks her silence and issues a statement through her lawyer, saying the crash left her "devastated".
- October 13:
The Foreign Office writes to Mr Dunn's family saying Sacoolas does not have diplomatic immunity "now that she has left the country".
Separately, it is suggested that her husband was an intelligence officer and not a registered diplomat in a recognised role, and therefore neither he nor his wife are entitled to diplomatic immunity.
- October 14:
Mr Dunn's family hold a press conference in New York after taking their fight for justice to the US.
- October 15:
Mr Dunn's family announce their intention to launch a judicial review into the advice given by the Foreign Office to Northamptonshire Police over the diplomatic immunity given to Sacoolas.
The White House calls an "urgent" meeting with Mr Dunn's family and they have talks with President Trump.
Mrs Charles and Mr Dunn refuse to meet Sacoolas, who was in the room next door as they met Mr Trump.
- October 20:
The Dunn family are told Northamptonshire Police have passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision.
- October 25:
Radd Seiger, the spokesman for Harry's family, confirms they would be taking legal action against the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and referring Northamptonshire Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over their roles in the investigation.
- October 31:
Northamptonshire Police confirm that they had interviewed the suspect in the case in the US and were passing the file of evidence over to the CPS.
Superintendent Sarah Johnson said: "We can confirm that we have completed an interview of the suspect in connection with the death of Harry Dunn, the details of which will be provided to the CPS for consideration alongside the rest of the evidential file already submitted."
- November 10:
In a letter to Mr Dunn's family, the FCO says the legal claim against them and Mr Raab was "without foundation".
It also said it would "oppose and seek costs" for any judicial review.
- November 12:
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry criticises Mr Raab for "threatening financial hardship" on the Dunn family.
- December 17
Mr Dunn's family meet with Mr Raab again, and the Foreign Secretary then urged Ms Sacoolas to "come back to the UK and co-operate with the criminal justice process".
- December 20
The CPS charges Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving.