What happened to Harry Dunn and when was the crash?

HARRY DUNN was the victim of a car crash in 2019.

This is all we know about his tragic accident and the events that followed.

A banner and a memorial area for Harry Dunn

 

What happened to Harry Dunn? 

Harry Dunn was killed on August 27, 2019 when his motorcycle crashed into an SUV allegedly being driven by Ms Anna Sacoolas near RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire.

The military base is used by the US Air Force, and processes around a third of all US military communications in Europe.

Harry’s mum Charlotte Charles said her son was going to visit his twin brother Niall when he died.

She also recalled the last time she saw her son, who was a keen biker.

Charlotte said: “I drove past him on my way home from work at 7.10pm.

“He nodded to me. I put up my hand and thought I’d see him in a couple of hours.

“Well I did, but he wasn’t alive the next time I got to.”

Charlotte and Harry’s dad Tim Dunn made sure to keep fighting for justice after they lost their son to such an accident.

The case has been taken to the top of both the US and UK governments, with the parents having meetings with former US President Donald Trump and former UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab.

Ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pressured Washington to extradite Ms Sacoolas, who left the UK for the US not long after the crash.

Harry’s mum has described the family as being “deprived of the ability to grieve” as the case continued.

 

How was Anne Sacoolas involved?

Ms Sacoolas – a mum-of-three and wife of a US diplomat – is understood to have been driving the SUV which was involved in the head on collision with Harry.

The 42-year-old is understood to have left the US base at RAF Croughton and was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit the teen.

Ms Sacoolas – who it later emerged had been a CIA operative – claimed diplomatic immunity and was able to return to the US.

She has since not returned to the UK despite international pressure, and was charged with causing death by dangerous driving last December.

The US embassy confirmed Ms Sacoolas was behind the wheel of the car involved, and Northamptonshire Police have said the car was travelling on the wrong side of the road.

Ms Sacoolas left Britain on September 15 after claiming diplomatic immunity – with Harry’s family being informed on September 23.

But on October 13, 2019, the family revealed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) had written to them to say a US suspect in the case does not have diplomatic immunity.

Ms Sacoolas is now subject to an Interpol Red Notice, meaning she faces arrest if she sets foot outside the US.

However, Washington has refused to extradite her despite appeals by both Mr Johnson and Mr Raab.

Former President Trump tried to engineer a meeting between Ms Sacoolas and Harry’s parents during a summit at the White House – but the family refused to participate in the stunt.

She took responsibility for her actions on October 20, 2022 and will face sentencing for her actions on Thursday, December 8, 2022. However, she will not be attending in London as the US government refused to allow her to travel.

Instead she will be attending the sentencing via a video link from Washington DC.

A spokesperson from the Old Bailey said: “The application made jointly by the prosecution and defence for Mrs Sacoolas to participate and be sentenced by live link, has been renewed.

“The defence have supplied material in support of the application including evidence that Mrs Sacoolas’ government employer has advised her not to attend in person.

“The judge has granted the application.”

What’s happened since the tragedy?

August 27, 2019  Harry was killed in August when his motorbike smashed into a car said to be driven by Ms Sacoolas outside an RAF base used by the US military

August 28, 2019 Northamptonshire Police speak with Ms Sacoolas over the crash. She has diplomatic immunity

August 31, 2019 – Supporters from both teams at a Northampton Town Football Club match against Plymouth Argyle hold 60 seconds of applause at the 19th minute in Harry’s memory

September 15, 2019 – Ms Sacoolas and her family fly back to the US

September 16, 2019 – Northamptonshire Police is informed that the diplomatic waiver has been declined

September 18, 2019 – Hundreds of friends and family attend Harry’s funeral at Banbury Crematorium in Oxfordshire.

September 23, 2019 – Harry’s family is informed that Ms Sacoolas has left the UK

October 2, 2019 – Harry’s family create the “Justice4Harry” GoFundMe page to help pay for any legal costs needed to bring Ms Sacoolas back to the UK

October 4, 2019  Northamptonshire Police confirm in a statement that “a 42-year-old American suspect” has left the UK. Harry’s parents call on former President Trump to intervene

October 5, 2019 – US State Department says in a statement that diplomatic immunity is “rarely waived”

October 6, 2019  Sky News name Ms Sacoolas as the suspect in the case. Trump has so far refused to send Sacoolas back to Britain

October 7, 2019  Boris Johnson claims he will speak to US Government about the situation and would ask for Mrs Sacoolas’ return

October 9, 2019 – Harry’s family reportedly come away “angry and frustrated” from a meeting with foreign secretary Dominic Raab

October 13, 2019  Harry’s mum Charlotte said Sacoolas should be brought back to the UK to face justice, saying: “It’s the right thing to to do. It’s the humane thing to do.”

October 15, 2019 – Harry’s family begged to know if the immunity given to the diplomat’s wife accused of killing their son was a “c**k up”

October 16, 2019  Trump meets with Harry’s parents, and then reveals Ms Sacoolas is in the next room as he attempts to stage a meeting between both sides. Charlotte and Tim call this an “ambush”

October 21, 2019 – Harry’s parents appear on This Morning after returning from the US saying they felt they had been “lied” to. It was also revealed that cops are to travel to the US to quiz suspect Ms Sacoolas

November 28, 2019 – Harry’s family launch legal action against the Foreign Office which they said could cost them “upwards of £50,000”

December 3, 2019 – Tim Dunn issues a stinging attack on Dominic Raab accusing the foreign secretary of “empty words” and only meeting the family as a publicity stunt

December 9, 2019 – Harry Dunn’s parents to use 245-year-old law to sue diplomat’s wife

December 20, 2019 – Ms Sacoolas refuses to return to face charges, her lawyer says

January 10, 2020British officials have formally demanded Anne Sacoolas be sent back to the UK to face trial

January 24, 2020 – US secretary of state refuses to extradite Sacoolas

January 28, 2020 – Almost two thirds of Americans surveyed said they would support the extradition of Sacoolas

February 7, 2020 – Ms Sacoolas is pictured driving around in Virginia

February 8, 2020 – It emerges Ms Sacoolas was a CIA spy who held an even higher rank than her husband

February 9, 2020 – Harry’s family demand answers over whether her CIA links played a role in the US’s refusal to extradite

March 3, 2020 – Harry’s mum said Mr Johnson doesn’t want to meet her as he is “frightened”

April 27, 2020 – Ms Sacoolas’s lawyer speaks to the Foreign Office to find a “resolution”

April 28, 2020 – Charlotte and Tim’s civil case is delayed as police had not released the accident investigation report

May 3, 2020 – Harry’s twin brother Niall issues a direct plea to the former Prime Minister – saying he has “had enough of the lies”

May 5, 2020 – US officials in the UK refuse to meet with Harry’s family

May 11, 2020 – Interpol issues a Red Notice for Ms Sacoolas effectively meaning she will be arrested if she leaves the US

May 12, 2020 – Charlotte and Tim make a renewed plea for justice on Good Morning Britain

May 20, 2020 – Mr Dunn’s mother calls for Mr Raab’s resignation

July 22, 2020 – Mr Raab announces the “anomaly” which allowed Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity following the crash

July 29, 2020 – Mr Dunn’s family and friends arrive at Portland Bill at Weymouth in Dorset, to scatter his ashes in his favourite place

August 25, 2020 – The Lord Chancellor says Attorney General Suella Braverman is considering the possibility of trying Sacoolas virtually

September 9, 2020 – Mr Dunn’s parents file a civil claim against Sacoolas

September 10, 2020 – Sacoolas’s legal representatives admit the she had been driving on the wrong side of the road for 20 seconds before Mr Dunn’s death

November 24, 2020 – Mr Dunn’s parents lose their High Court battle with the Foreign Office over the diplomatic immunity

January 24, 2021 – The Foreign Office apologises after “unprofessional and unacceptable language” was used by officials in internal emails

January 28, 2021 – Newly elected President Joe Biden’s administration stands by the position not to extradite Sacoolas

March 9, 2021 Sacoolas’s lawyer says the suspect is willing to complete community service

October 26, 2021 – Liz Truss insists she is “pushing” the United States to ensure justice is delivered

December 13, 2021 The Crown Prosecution Service announces that Sacoolas will face Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 January

March 22, 2022 – Mr Dunn’s mother says she has “a lot of faith in the CPS that justice will be done”

August 27, 2022 – Mr Dunn’s family say they “miss him terribly” as they mark third anniversary of his death

September 29, 2022 – Sacoolas appears at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video-link from the US, charged with causing Mr Dunn’s death by dangerous driving

October 20, 2022 – Ms Sacoolas pleads guilty for the responsibility of Mr Dunn’s death, though by careless driving, not the by dangerous driving

December 8, 2022 – Ms Sacoolas shall face sentencing but she will be attending via a video link from Washington DC.

 

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