Anne Sacoolas

I wondered what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot, so to speak - if a British person was involved in a fatality and then fled back to the UK?
This raises a lot of questions about so called "diplomatic immunity" - we are not usually aware of what goes on, under this blanket , from sending contraband via diplomatic bags, to avoiding prosecution.
As far as I am concerned, her husband is the diplomat, not her, so she should not have the benefit of being covered by the so called immunity and be brought straight back to be prosecuted. The fact that she originally said that she would be staying in this country , and then left makes you think that she had no plans to stand up and take whatever was due to her.
When all is said and done, a young man has been killed as a result of either her ignorance or inattention and I would hope that her conscience would bring her back to this country.
I also think that anyone wishing to drive in this country should have to pass a British driving test - this is not the first time that a fatality has happened as a result of a driver from overseas being ignorant .

The thing is even if she comes back to UK now, she has already told the police what happened, she was driving on wrong side of the road, and DI means she cannot be charged so even though she could come back and apologise directly to family for killing the son I don't see what else will be accomplished by her coming back to UK.

I can't believe how naive some of you are with your comments. It doesn't matter that Anne Sacoolas was not the one employed. Surely you realise how much of a risk families can become and how they can compromise security.

We don't know that she isn't suffering agonies of regret and remorse. As of yet, she hasn't been able to speak for herself.

I can see that she'll not be back unfortunately as it seems to be US government policy. If there's any justice this woman's husband and therefore their family will be adversely affected by her actions. No promotion for him or even no job and pension? However, it is modern America so daft things can happen.
Rotten situation for the poor grieving family. The mother is being so dignified its heartbreaking. I hope that Sacoolas woman is seeing the videos of her.

I understand the reasoning behind diplomatic immunity. It is there to ensure that diplomats posted in less liberal countries are not imprisoned on trumped up charges for political reasons.

However I believe, in the case of two supposedly great democratic countries such as the U.K and America that isn’t an issue, the reason the woman was arrested was not for political reasons and she should be returned to the U.K by America for the family to receive justice and some semblance of closure. However Trump is rather preoccupied with being impeached and Boris ended up getting poor Nazaninin imprisoned for longer so not holding out much hope for him intervening successfully.

Davidhs whatever the husband's position the woman was not an employee of any US organisation and as such was not entitled to diplomatic immunity. We have hopefully moved on from times when a woman was just a part of her husband's life. If women accept the benefits of that they should also accept the responsibilities involved.
As far as justiice goes we should look at the demands the US has made on us for extradition of people including hackers.

She is not her husband.

We all depend on intelligence to keep us safe these days.

Yes there is, Ellan. Her husband's job.

There is nothing to stop this woman's conscience from doing the right thing. She's a mother herself for God's sake !

My gut instinct is disgust at this woman's actions as other people here have also expressed.

However, Davidhs's posts do put a different perspective on the situation. A fair trial could be relied upon in the UK, but maybe not in certain other parts of the world and I suppose the US can't pick and choose whose justice system they will or will not cooperate with.

I do hope, though, that whether here or in the US she will be held to account.

Anne Sacoolas will now be deemed a security risk. Hard though it is for us to accept given she is responsible for a fatal accident, she should remain in the USA. There would be nothing to gain from the media circus that would surely surround any return to the UK.

I just hope the grieving family is kept informed and not ignored.

She should face the consequences of her actions. Diplomatic immunity for this type of crime is a disgrace. I'm sure any decent-minded fellow American would agree.

I’ve looked up some more incidents, this is normal US policy, if US military personnel or diplomats are involved in court action they are always sent home, usually they are prosecuted in a US court. If as reported the woman absently mindedly drove on the wrong side of the road, it is Careless Driving and she is not going to be extradited for that.

I’m sorry that the family dont believe they have had justice but it seems to me if she was on the wrong side of the road there is no defense and a driving ban would be the sentence, no more.

So why the publicity for this case, because the US apply this repatriation for all cases regardless and this frustrates “British Justice” and we are trying to get that changed - we will fail!. The US wants their citizens to face US justice, not the kind of justice that is handed out in other countries, if a US service person commits a crime overseas they are in big trouble, not a normal jury court but a court marshal.c

Davidhs's post makes sense of this awful situation. Anne Sacoolas may have had every intention of remaining in the UK to co-operate with the police but events were taken out of her hands.

Good reason for anyone in a high risk occupation not to be accompanied by their family I would think. I feel sorry for her son although of course everyone's sympathies are naturally directed towards Harry's grieving family.

I can imagine she panicked. But I cannot understand calmly packing a suitcase, getting on a flight with her own family and leaving another distraught and broken family behind.

On the American base where she worked, they drive on the other side of the road - as if still in America. Maybe she was distracted at the gates, talking to her son?

There ought to be a huge reminder sign on approaching those gates to leave the compound to drive on the LEFT.

Her own child was with her in the car at the time

Appalling conduct by the driver and the example she is setting to her own child astonishes me - how do you justify it in their eyes?

I should imagine Trump will support her " human rights" just because he can. Dirty business.

She should be subpoenaed like others would be ! She's not above the law.
This country would use a court order.

How disgusting is this ? Hiding behind immunity after having killed someone has to be the most cowardly deed. The young man's parents have a right to see justice done and I jolly well hope they do.
Those poor parents ! They're far more dignified than I would be.

Croughton is one of the main US communication listening stations if she had diplomatic immunity her husband is quite likely CIA. The military would had ordered them home immediately for security reasons, whatever the extent of her fault there is absolutely no chance that she will serve a prison sentence in the U.K.

It certainly is frustrating, in her absence she will be guilty and any compensation will be paid by her insurers (US Govt) and she will not be returning to the UK. Maybe a statement to the court will be sent but there will be no cross examination.

This is such a shocking story. Has she no conscience? What is almost worse is that her husband has apparently colluded in this. I can understand that she might panic at first and flee in fear, but her husband should have stopped her.

Surely she will eventually see sense and come back. If not, she should be made to by law.

Diplomatic immunity was never meant to be used in this way. The Americans should waive her immunity and send her back.

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.

I can understand some of the hurt the parents are feeling. When in his 20s my younger brother was knocked off his motorbike and seriously injured by a young woman who drove out of a side street; fortunately he made a full recovery.

I'm still narked at the fact that the next day she flew off on holiday, when he was so ill.