Anne Sacoolas

See my first post on October 8th once the decision was made to send her home there would be no change and there will be none.
It has all been a PR exercise by all sides

I would not just accept that there would be no trial. I find it despicable that whatever offence she would have been charged with ( if any) can just be swept under the carpet by crying 'diplomatic immunity'. If it was my child I would like to see justice prevail, and that is the top and bottom of it. She won't face the death penalty, she probably won't even get a custodial sentence, but she needs to face a trial.

It is not dangerous driving to be that, drunkenness or deliberate dangerous driving is needed, it’s not manslaughter, it’s careless driving.

What would I have done. I certainly would not have allowed my family to be involved in this media circus, of course I would like the culprit to face trial but once she was sent back to the US I would have accepted there would be no trial.

She should return to the UK and present herself to face British justice. She really ought to meet with her young victim's parents, in the proper, agreed, conditions, again, in the UK. This is not to seek revenge but merely to deliver justice. The US is tenacious in seeking to repatriate people from across the World to face justice in the US, as people in Britain are well aware, in cases of terrorism, cyber hacking and banking irregularities (even where capital punishment may result), but, as in this tragic case, will just not reciprocate. This is inconsistent, unfair and palpably unjust and the UK must not stand for that and be equally tenacious with the USA.

X posts lemon

It would never have been manslaughter ever given what we know. The bar is extremely high for death by dangerous driving. I agree lemon that it was an accident but one that should have been dealt with in a court of law. Most people who cause death in an RTA face the courts and have to live with themselves. She’s got off the first one hadn’t she? It’s not justice enough but it’s the best the poor family can get. She drove for 400 metres apparently - she put her own children in danger as well but they were lucky.

I think it’s death by dangerous driving Ellan and it wouldn’t
Automatically carry a prison sentence ( would depend on evidence and circs.)

I'm supposing that because this isn't the first accident/incident with this woman, that a jail sentence would have been given in this country followed by the deportation debacle.

This offence is still manslaughter whichever way you look at it and carries a prison sentence in the UK.

I agree with Pamela.It could happen to any one of us, that coming out of the base ( in another country) you drive for a little way on the wrong side of the road.Have done this myself in Spain when turning out of the supermarket exit.It was daytime and I soon saw my mistake, but it’s easily done.
It’s a tragic accident.
I did read that her husband isn’t a diplomat but then all staff at the base are included in the ‘immunity’.
If it was her own choice to leave the country then it was a poor choice, but given the huge publicity of this case it may not have been safe for her to stay here ( and she couldn’t stay hidden on the base forever.)She may well have been told to go back to the US.
She will have to live with what has happened, and ( to my mind) that is justice enough.Had it been my own son, I would have wanted to speak with her, but that is the choice of Mrs Dunn not to, which she has every right to.

the case is not closed .someone died....a boy .someone's son .someone brother. what would you do if it was your son. CASE closed ??? i think not...

bring her back .she done a crime .she should be made to return to england .shame on her....being usa maybe she drove on the wrong side of the road.? that doesnt excuse her for getting a flight back to the usa.

“Probably the only course open to the family now is to take out a private law suit against her claiming damages - it will not bring their son back but at least it would mean she faced some sort of justice for her actions.”

No point is doing that it will get vetoed, best option is to hold a trial in her absence and establish compensation along the usual lines and I’m sure the US government will pay, case closed!

Let’s be realistic death by careless driving carries a lengthy driving ban, in normal circumstances the insurance company pays compensation

I heard their lawyer on radio this morning saying he was the one who refused the meeting. He felt Trump would use it as a photo opportunity and would do nothing for the family. I don't believe this woman will ever voluntarily return to the UK and Trump has made it clear that her diplomatic immunity remains in force.

Probably the only course open to the family now is to take out a private law suit against her claiming damages - it will not bring their son back but at least it would mean she faced some sort of justice for her actions.

This episode has been used by the U.K. authorities to try to get the US immunity issue changed, the family’s grief has been used for political purposes. I particularly criticize the police for starting this campaign they should have accepted the status quo, now it has gone all the way to the White House and a firm “she stays in the US” has been established.

She has not been identified on camera, all we have seen is a wedding photograph, so the US military want to keep it that way, which is why she was sent back in the first place. Wether diplomatic immunity was official is uncertain, her husband is probably a high ranking spook about whom we have heard nothing, the US don’t want him identified through her. In short the families emotions are second to the security risks, and sometimes we have to accept “that is the way it is”.

The US is pretty much omnipotent and this is a very small issue in relationship terms, they can send a drone halfway round the globe to kill a suspected terrorist and maybe dozens of others closeby, no judge, no jury just intelligence, again “that’s the way it is” and nothings going to change.

Anyone who makes a mistake, whether accidentally or on purpose - should have the courtesy to apologise for that mistake. In this case that includes following the laws of the land and attending court to discover the true circumstances, and being punished if necessary.

To try to escape that process shows a dreadful lack of morals in my view. Mr Trump's comments show his as well.

Surely, if she had been a British national her passport would be seized pending investigations - or maybe they don't do that now?! Either way, it was cowardly and despicable for her to flee the country to evade prosecution, what a truly horrible person she is! Have to wonder if she was breathalysed at the scene too or is that something else she afraid to admit to?

No amount of investigation and punishment will bring that wonderful young man back but his parents are keen to see that this does not happen to anyone else.

I’m so impressed by the behaviour and tenacity of this family. Avoiding the disgraceful Trump ambush at the WH was stunning -it would have been so easy to have been overawed and given in to a cheap shot meeting with the woman who killed their son and a photo op with DT. I’m sure she’ll never face justice but they must feel better that their sons death and the shortcomings of diplomatic immunity have received attention on both sides of the Atlantic and that they didn’t just roll over when faced with the massive apparatus of the state. May they eventually find some peace.

One wonders if it had been a member of the royal family who was killed by the American whether we’d just shrug and say ok she didn’t mean it , get over it.... I bet not.

I've just read on the Guardian website that her husband was not a diplomat and should not therefore have diplomatic immunity. It seems to go from absolutely awful to something worse than that.
I just feel so sorry for the family of Harry Dunn.

I am not surprised by some of the posts on here. A young man lost his life and a lovely family lost a son. The situation has made people angry

However, like other posters have said flying back to America may have been beyond her control, also in the States you drive on the opposite side on the road, that is why I believe it was a terrible mistake with tragic consequences.

I just feel so sad for Harry's parents.

I’d read that she turned out of the base onto the wrong side of the road and drove about 400 yards like that and then hit the young man head on. If you hit someone when you are on the wrong side of the road, I think you are almost certainly in the wrong. She’d only been in the country a very little while

PamelaJ1, but she was on the wrong side of the road here as I understand it. I know it that driving abroad is difficult but it needs to be established exactly why she was on the wrong side and if any offences occurred.

I’m sure it’s not beyond the wit of man ( and woman) for her to accept being tried via video link. If the will is there, I’m sure there would be a way but I doubt it would happen. I just hope we remember this next time a UK diplomat breaks the law in the US

It was in 2006. Long ago enough for it to be discounted as far as this discussion is concerned.

Beckett posted earlier

It is being reported that she was previously fined for driving without "paying full time attention" in USA. Apparently it is usually associated with using a phone whilst driving or driving in the wrong lane.