Suspect's welfare prioritised over prompt probe after Harry Dunn crash

Yahoo

6 hours ago

Police failed to arrest a former US state department employee after her car struck and killed a teenage motorcyclist because they prioritised the suspect's welfare over a 'prompt and effective investigation', a review has concluded.
Anne Sacoolas, who was able to leave the UK under diplomatic immunity laws 19 days after the crash that left 19-year-old Harry Dunn fatally injured, was not arrested at the scene after police believed the 'necessity test' had not been met.
The independent review also heavily criticised Northamptonshire Police's former chief constable Nick Adderley, whose 'erroneous statements' about Sacoolas's immunity status led the Foreign Office to contact the force asking him not to repeat them.
The report, commissioned by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, concluded there was a lack of co-ordination and adherence to professional standards guidelines amongst senior leadership within the force.
The force apologised to the Dunn family for 'what is now clear was a failure on our part to do the very best for the victim in this case.'
Harry was killed when Sacoolas's Volvo, which was travelling on the wrong side of the road, struck his motorbike near US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019.
The Dunn family spent three years campaigning for justice after diplomatic immunity was asserted on behalf of the US suspect, which saw them meet US President Donald Trump in the White House.
Sacoolas eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via video link at the Old Bailey in December 2022, and she later received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Reacting to the review, Harry's mother, Charlotte Charles, told the PA news agency the failures by the force were something 'no family should ever have to endure'.
She said: 'Today's review report confirms what we have known for years – that we were failed by the very people we should have been able to trust.
'Harry was left to die on the roadside. Sacoolas was not arrested, even though the police had every power to do so.
'She fled the country, and they didn't tell us.
'These are failures no family should ever have to endure.'
The review said there was a 'lack of appropriate recording and associated documentation in relation to high-level meetings such as minutes, strategy, tasking and action logs'.
Addressing the role Mr Adderley played in the force's failings, Mrs Charles continued: 'I remain so angry at Adderley to this day.
'We knew from the outset that there was a problem with him and we will never forgive him for launching his personal attacks on our neighbour and spokesperson Radd Seiger, the one person in our tragedy who had the courage to stand up and help us when the police and our own government refused to do that.
'I am glad Adderley is long gone and will never be able to police again.'
The review, published on Wednesday, found there is potentially a culture at Northamptonshire Police of not arresting suspects 'in circumstances such as these, which could lead to evidence not being obtained.'
A total of 38 recommendations were made in the report, including that the force should adopt an 'investigative mindset' at serious road crashes and review how it recovers material from the scene of a collision.
It read: 'A report has been prepared and concerning the consideration of arrest, the (Serious Collision Investigation Unit) lead is of the view that the decision not to arrest is not explained in enough detail and the overriding factor in the decision appears to be the welfare of the suspect and her suffering from shock, with little to no consideration around the full necessity test under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
'A prompt and effective investigation was not considered or articulated.
'The view is that in these circumstances the suspect could and should have been arrested to assist the evidence gathering process.'
It continued: 'The duty (police sergeant) made the decision not to arrest.
'The rationale was largely based on a belief that the necessity test was not met, and information received that Anne Sacoolas was in shock.
'Whilst the welfare of any person is a concern for officers, this should not have prevented the arrest of Anne Sacoolas.'
Giving her final thoughts on the report, Mrs Charles told PA: 'Now, the focus must turn to ensuring that every single recommendation in this report is implemented, and not just here in Northamptonshire, but across the country.
'No family should ever again be treated the way we were.
'We will never stop fighting for Harry – but today, at least the truth of the failings of Adderley and the force he led has been recognised.'
Assistant Chief Constable Emma James issued an apology to the family on behalf of the force, saying: 'First and foremost, on behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I want to apologise to Harry's family for what is now clear was a failure on our part to do the very best for the victim in this case, Harry, and his family who fought tirelessly in the years that followed to achieve justice for him.
'The picture which emerges is one of a force which has failed the family on a number of fronts, and we hope the findings, which are troubling in several respects, will provide some answers to questions which the family will have wanted to know in the years that have passed.
'I hope some good comes out of this. Much of the learning which the force has taken from this has already been put in place and we make a number of specific recommendations for best practice at a national level.
'We have taken a deep look at ourselves and hope the transparent way we have identified failings of the past will go some way to re-building the confidence of Harry's family and friends going forward as well as the wider public at large.'