Former police chief had 'detrimental impact' on investigation into Harry Dunn's death, review finds
Harry Dunn was killed in a head-on collision with US spy Anne Sacoolas after she drove on the wrong side of the road near an American intelligence base.
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Lawmakers call for more security funding after Minnesota shooting
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Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Disgraced police chief who lied about Navy career ‘undermined' Harry Dunn case
A disgraced police chief who lied about serving in the Falklands War had a 'detrimental impact' on the Harry Dunn investigation, a report has found. Nick Adderley, a former Northamptonshire chief constable, has been reprimanded for making false statements to the media and blamed for causing an 'avoidable' breakdown in relations between the force and Mr Dunn's family. Mr Adderley, 58, was sacked last year after it was revealed he had exaggerated his naval career and rank. Suspicions were raised when the police chief was seen wearing a Falklands medal, despite having been only 15 when the conflict began. A Ministry of Defence medal expert went on to call the South Atlantic Medal, awarded to British military personnel who served in the Falklands, '110 per cent' fake. Adderley has now received further criticism in a report on the police investigation into the death of Mr Dunn, who was killed when a car driven by Anne Sacoolas, a former US State Department employee, struck the 19-year-old motorcyclist in August 2019. Sacoolas eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via video link at the Old Bailey following three years of the Dunn family campaigning for justice, after she was able to leave the UK when diplomatic immunity was asserted on her behalf. Among other failings, Adderley was reprimanded by the Foreign Office for giving inaccurate information to the press about suspect Anne Sacoolas's immunity status after she had left the UK. The same report also found that police had prioritised Sacoolas's welfare over a 'prompt and effective investigation', a review concluded. The independent review, commissioned by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, said there was a lack of coordination and adherence to professional standards guidelines amongst senior members of the force under Adderley's leadership. 'The review found that while the investigation was well handled, elements of senior leadership prioritised the suspect's welfare over a 'prompt and effective investigation', it said. 'There was a lack of coordination and adherence to APP [professional standards guidance].' It continued: 'This is evidenced during an interview when Chief Constable Adderley suggested that Anne Sacoolas could make decisions around waiving her diplomatic status, which she couldn't. 'According to the FCO [Foreign Office], diplomatic immunity belongs to the sending state. This prompted the FCO to contact Northamptonshire Police and request CC Adderley did not repeat erroneous statements.' Adderley was also criticised for 'discrepancies' during a press conference in October 2019 on the Dunn case and for failing to send what he wished to say to the senior investigating officer for fact-checking, prior to the event. The review said the breakdown in relations between the Dunn family and the force because of Mr Adderley's actions was 'avoidable'. It highlighted incidents, such as a tweet from the disgraced ex-police chief, which showed him react to the family's intentions to sue Sacoolas in the US by saying: 'How sad but how predictable.' 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. The report also said concerns for the Sacoolas' welfare should not have prevented officers from arresting her. 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.' Addressing the role Mr Adderley played in the force's failings, Mrs Charles continued: 'I remain so angry at Adderley to this day… I am glad Adderley is long gone and will never be able to police again.' The mother, who was awarded an MBE in the King's birthday honours list for services to road safety, added: '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.' 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.'
Sky News
6 hours ago
- Sky News
Police admit failures in Harry Dunn case after report finds officers prioritised suspect's welfare
Northamptonshire Police has admitted it failed Harry Dunn and his family after a report found officers prioritised the welfare of the suspect in the case over the investigation. The 19-year-old died in 2019 after US state department employee Anne Sacoolas – who was driving a car on the wrong side of the road – hit his motorbike near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. However, Sacoolas was not immediately arrested following the crash and was able to flee the country, claiming diplomatic immunity, because police did not believe a "necessity test" had been met. An independent report, published on Wednesday, has now criticised the force's senior leadership for their handling of the case – including describing its former chief constable as having a "detrimental" impact. Harry Dunn's mother Charlotte Charles said she welcomed the findings. She told Sky News: "Unfortunately, we were treated extremely poorly. All the authorities wanted to shut us down... "This report does validate everything, of the way we felt and everything that we've been put through. To be treated as we were, as the victims of a serious crime, we were let down really, really badly." Following a long fight for justice by Mr Dunn's family, Sacoolas eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via video link at the Old Bailey in December 2022. She later received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. 1:37 Following the report, Assistant Chief Constable Emma James said in a statement: "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". She also added: "It was vitally important that Northamptonshire Police conducted this review into the most high-profile case in the force's history, a case where clear and significant shortcomings have now been properly and independently unearthed." The report, which has 38 recommendations, found that Nick Adderley, who was sacked as head of the force last year after lying about his military record, had caused a breakdown in relations with Mr Dunn's family. It also revealed that his "erroneous statements" about Sacoolas's immunity status led the Foreign Office to contact the force asking him not to repeat them. Danielle Stone, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire, said Mr Adderley's behaviour was "unfathomable". She added that the report "makes really clear his culpability." The report also said Northamptonshire Police potentially had a culture of not arresting suspects "in circumstances such as these, which could lead to evidence not being obtained". It recommended that the force adopt an "investigative mindset" over serious road crashes. Regarding the decision not to arrest Sacoolas, the report said the decision had not been "explained in enough detail". It added: "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." The report 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." Ms Charles, who was recently honoured with an MBE after her campaigning efforts led to road safety improvements near US airbases, said: "I don't think you're ever done grieving. There's never any closure to losing a child. You live with it, it's so profound. "So the only thing I would ever say to anybody else who feels that they've got a fight ahead of them, dig deep, do your best, because you just never know the resilience that you've got until you absolutely have to find it."
