Harry Dunn dies in fatal Northamptonshire crash
Harry Dunn dies in fatal Northamptonshire crash
Fatal Northamptonshire crash death of Harry Dunn
Harry Dunn, a 19-year-old British motorcyclist, lost his life in a crash near RAF Croughton when a vehicle driven by an American government employee collided with him while traveling on the wrong side of the road.
Northamptonshire Police have issued a formal apology to Dunn’s family following an internal review that revealed significant shortcomings in how the case was handled. The review highlighted that more concern was shown for the suspect, Anne Sacoolas, than for ensuring a swift and thorough investigation. The police acknowledged they did not fulfill their duty to the victim.
The report pointed to a broader issue within the department, suggesting that officers may have a tendency to avoid arresting suspects in similar situations, potentially leading to critical evidence being lost.
Charlotte Charles, Harry’s mother, expressed her anguish over the findings, stating that the neglect shown toward her son was something no family should experience. She criticized the police for allowing Sacoolas to leave the country without arrest, even though they had the authority to detain her. She said the police failed to notify the family as Sacoolas departed for the United States under the protection of diplomatic immunity.
Sacoolas, who later admitted she had been driving as if she were still in the U.S., was sentenced in December 2022 to an eight-month suspended prison term. She did not attend the sentencing in person, and the court cited her guilty plea and clean record in reducing the sentence.
The crash, which took place in August 2019, drew widespread outrage in the UK. Sacoolas and her husband, reportedly a U.S. intelligence official, were allowed to leave the country 19 days after the incident, under diplomatic immunity granted by the U.S. government.
During last year’s inquest, a British coroner condemned the lack of proper training for American diplomats stationed in the UK. Sacoolas did not appear at the inquest either, but she did express remorse, calling the crash a tragic error and apologizing for the grief it caused.