Harry Dunn's family say enquiry into Foreign Office's treatment of them will start within three weeks
The family of Harry Dunn have said the government is about to start an enquiry into how the Foreign Office treated them after the 19-year-old was killed.
Harry, who was riding a motorbike, died after a head-on collision in 2019 with a car driven by Anne Sacoolas, who was exiting the American intelligence base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.
Sacoolas left the UK 19 days after the incident, as the US government had asserted diplomatic immunity on her behalf, claiming she was the wife of a diplomat. She was later revealed to be a US spy.
The Dunn family began a long fight for justice, which eventually saw the former spy receive a suspended sentence after she pleaded guilty to causing Harry's death by dangerous driving.
She was sentenced in an "unprecedented" case at the Old Bailey - but did not attend the hearing in person after American officials stepped in. Instead, she was sentenced via a video link from her lawyer's office in Washington.
Speaking to Sky News, a lawyer who has advised the family since Harry's death has now said an enquiry promised by David Lammy when Labour got into power will begin "within three weeks".
Radd Seiger told The News Hour with Mark Austin that the enquiry will be chaired by Dame Anne Owers, who is "going to do a rapid piece of work".
"We just want to leave a legacy for Harry, so what his family went through never happens again," he said.
Harry's mother, Charlotte Charles, added: "The failings need to be out there for all to see.
"Certainly for us to learn about and for everyone else to learn about, so we can make sure in future, families like us do not get treated the way that we were treated."
It is understood that the investigation, which is expected to last three months, will not include scrutiny of the role or actions of the US government.
The enquiry is separate from a recent report on how Northamptonshire Police proceeded in the case.
The force last week apologised and admitted failures in their handling of the investigation, after the report found officers prioritised the suspect's welfare.
2:48
Assistant Chief Constable Emma James apologised "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".
She added in a statement: "The picture which emerges is one of a force which has failed the family on a number of fronts".
The Dunn family have filed a complaint
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The truth behind Shaughna Phillips' second pregnancy REVEALED after Love Island star continues romance with drug dealer boyfriend despite prison sentence
Shaughna Phillips shocked fans over the weekend after she revealed she is pregnant with her second child. Taking to Instagram to share the news the Love Island star, 31, posted a video of herself taking a pregnancy test, but did not reveal who the father of her baby is as she wrote: 'Adding a little more love to our family…' And now The Sun has revealed that Shaughna is once again preparing to welcome a child with Billy Webb, who is also the father of her first child. Following the birth of their daughter Lucia in April 2023, Billy, 29, was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply 4.5kg of cocaine worth at least £360,000. However Shaughna and Billy have been enjoying family days out over the past seven months while he has been on day release from an open prison. An insider said: 'Billy has been in a Category D prison, which means he has been able to spend a fair bit of time with Shaughna. 'He even managed to be home over Christmas, which meant a lot to her and, of course, Lucia. He hasn't been released as many people thought, but he has a lot of privileges.' In Category D prisons inmates have minimal security and those deemed 'low risk' inmates are allowed to leave the site to work, 'resettle' or attend education during the day. MailOnline have contacted Shaughna's representatives for comment. Shaughna revealed the couple had spent Christmas together in December after the family reunited to enjoy a Christmas grotto together. Sharing an adorable video to her Instagram, the reality star revealed that she and her partner had taken Lucia to see Santa and added she never thought this day would come. She captioned the clip: 'If you had told me this time last year, that me and Billy would be taking Lucia to see Santa next Christmas, I probably wouldn't have let myself believe you 'The best couple of days, this Christmas is going to be so special'. The blonde bombshell has been very open with her fans throughout the ordeal and previously revealed on her podcast Oh, Baby with Shaughna and Holly that she had struggled to come to terms with the situation. Taking to Instagram to share the news she posted a video of herself taking a pregnancy test, but did not reveal who the father of her baby is She also shared a sweet video of her daughter Lucia, two, wearing a t-shirt saying 'Big Sis' and 'In my big sister era' to go with the announcement She said: 'It's the most gut-wrenching position to be in. 'And, I mean, before I even answer this question, I want to just put it out there that you can judge me all you want, but please don't let me know, because I feel like unless you've been in this position you can't really have an opinion on it. 'Because before I was in this position, before I had a baby, if you had asked me would I ever, ever take my child into a prison, the answer would be absolutely not. Anyone that does that is crazy. 'And then, lo and behold, I'm now in this position. And I think the thing is, we're always going to be co-parents. 'And I know that me and my dad had the best relationship ever, and to me, my dad is the best person in the world. 'And I don't want Lucia to think differently of her father. I would never, ever stop him from seeing her, ever.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
From saluting SS camps to playing with Goering's model trains - new podcast reveals how Hitler manipulated a 'deluded' Edward VIII into becoming a 'Nazi puppet'
On the final instalment of the Mail's three-part podcast miniseries examining Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Kate Williams examine how deeply the exiled couple became entangled with Nazi Germany. After abdicating in December 1936, Edward and his twice-divorced wife Wallis found themselves seeking new allies, having been effectively ostracised by the British establishment and denied the full privileges of royalty. Buoyed by the propaganda triumph of that summer's Berlin Olympics, Hitler saw in the royal couple an opportunity to lend his regime further international legitimacy. Wanting to still appear a statesman, Edward accepted an invitation to visit Nazi Germany in 1937, a decision that prompted his brother King George VI to write to Edward's political advisor Walter Monckton that the plan was 'a bombshell, and a bad one'. By 1937, Europe was well aware of Nazi Germany's dismantling of democracy, persecution of Jews through the Nuremberg Laws, illegal rearmament, and aggressive territorial ambitions, making Edward's visit a highly controversial legitimisation of an openly authoritarian regime. The photographs from the visit and the rumours it generated would forever tarnish the former King's reputation. This episode of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things explores what the couple did in Germany and investigates whether Edward was truly willing to collaborate with the Nazis should they occupy Britain. Edward and Wallis's 1937 Tour of Nazi Germany Beyond mere self-aggrandisement, royal biographer Robert Hardman believes Edward and Wallis agreed to the tour because they harboured fascist sympathies. In the late 1930s, this was seen as problematic but not entirely unusual among the British upper classes. Across Europe, many aristocrats viewed fascism as a bulwark against the spread of communism. 'Throughout the story of Edward and Wallis Simpson, there is a swastika', Hardman said. 'There was Nazi influence all the way through. In the run up the abdication, Hitler was issuing instructions to his diplomats in London to try and stop it. Hitler believed Edward was on his side. 'There are well documented stories Simpson's links to Nazi politicians and diplomats in London. 'It was clear by 1937, that Edward VIII would, in any given situation, lean towards the Nazi side.' Upon arrival in Germany, Edward foolishly sees himself as a 'peacemaker', as Kate Williams told the podcast. 'That vision he had of himself was hopelessly naive', Williams described. 'Because for Nazi Germany, the former King turning up and having the red carpet laid out for them is giving consent to the regime. 'It's treated like a Royal progress – crowds' wave away. The couple are greeted by the British national anthem accompanied by Nazi salutes. They dine with high-ranking Nazis including Goering, Goebbels, Ribbentrop and Speer. 'All of the Nazi charm is brought out to bear on Edward and Wallis, and they are there with their eyes closed to the reality of the situation.' During the tour, Edward is taken to munitions factories, SS training camps and Hitler's Salzburg Mountain retreat, the Berghof. An SS trooper would later recount how Edward relished in saluting the soldiers and declaring the shared racial ties between the British and German peoples. Visiting Berchtesgraden for a private meeting with Hitler, Edward reportedly killed time waiting for the Fuhrer by viewing Goering's prized model train set. Hardman explained: 'There's a hilarious lunch where Goering entertains the couple: he lays on this chorus of mountain huntsman with these horns to serenade them Get your weekly dose of Royal scandals and palace intrigue on this Mail podcast Hosted by Royal Historians Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams, Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things looks at the Royal Family - the secrets, the palace intrigues, and the Crown's bloodiest moments. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now. 'Of course, they feel terribly important. At last, Edward thinks, I am being treated like the King I once was, and my wife, the Queen she should have been. 'After lunch, Goering shows them his model railway set, and they're utterly charmed by this. You get these amazing glimpses into what a bunch of crackpots these guys all were.' Exactly what the former King and Hitler discussed in their private meeting remains unknown to this day. According to his advisor Dudley Forwood, Edward told the dictator that the 'British and German races are one and they should always remain one.' In 1966, Edward told a reporter that he and Hitler had discussed the need to destroy communist Russia. Williams said: 'The King later says of the meeting that Hitler made him realise Red Russia was the true enemy. 'He convinced him that Great Britain and Europe should encourage Germany to march East and crush communism once and for all. 'The Duke of Windsor becomes obsessed with the idea that he and the Nazis can be best friends – he's impossibly naive about the realities of the regime.' Following their meeting, rumours would dog Edward that he had tacitly agreed to replace his brother as King in the event of a Nazi occupation of Great Britain. Addressing the veracity of these rumours, Hardman said: 'I do think Edward was deluded – his sympathies did lie strongly with the Nazi cause. 'But it's probably pushing it too far to suggest that there was a plot to put the Duke of Windsor on the throne. 'What is true is that when asked whether he would ever come back to Britain to be President if we ever became a republic – he said yes. 'He was happy to countenance the fall of the monarchy and taking over some sort of head of state role. 'Whether he would be willing to do that under the aegis of Nazi Germany is a deeper question.' To hear about the political fallout of the visit and how Edward and Wallis spent the war, search for Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Stop Labour's betrayal of our SAS heroes: Ex-Special Forces chiefs and MPs demand veterans who battled IRA are protected from prosecution
SAS veterans are being hounded with the threat of prosecution decades after their service thanks to a shameful betrayal by Labour. The Mail today launches a major campaign with ex-Special Forces commanders and senior MPs to protect the soldiers who bravely defended this country. We are demanding that ministers U-turn on their bid to repeal the Tories ' Legacy Act, which shielded Northern Ireland veterans from historical 'witch hunts', or else produce a proper alternative. It comes as former SAS soldiers face possible murder charges after a judge in Northern Ireland ruled that the shooting of four IRA terrorists in 1992 was not justified. Those behind the campaign have warned of a dire threat to national security if this process is permitted to continue. One ex-SAS commanding officer said ministers had to wake up to the need to protect serving and retired personnel from 'this creeping lawfare' or it would prove 'calamitous' by hobbling operations and hitting recruitment. The campaign has already generated £250,000 in fighting funds in a single donation from ex-SAS soldier-turned-entrepreneur Sir Mike Gooley, founder of travel company Trailfinders. A petition on the Parliament website demanding protection for Northern Ireland veterans has, meanwhile, reached 136,290 signatures, meaning a parliamentary debate will be held on July 14. The campaign team includes two former SAS commanding officers and a Regimental Sergeant Major. Other senior soldiers involved in the call for action served in undercover roles and faced being murdered by IRA terrorists every time they deployed. The political dimension of the campaign is being led by Conservative MP Sir David Davis, a former SAS reservist. He said last night: 'What we have seen so far has been a travesty of justice. This is not just about those who served in Northern Ireland. 'It is about giving protection and certainty to the entire Armed Forces family. Our veterans deserve our respect, not relentless legal pursuit decades after the events in question.' At a press conference at the Nato summit in The Hague, the Mail yesterday asked Keir Starmer why he was opening veterans up to a possible legal witch hunt by repealing the legislation. The PM replied: 'I worked in Northern Ireland for five years so I know just how important and significant these issues are. We are in talks and discussions about how we resolve this issue.' SAS veterans have suffered emotional trauma from their hounding by lawyers. This included a suicide attempt by a former Special Forces soldier last year. Former SAS Regimental Sergeant Major George Simm said: 'As a result of these evidence-free accusations, soldiers are realising they have no legal rights. This has to change, out of necessity, for national security reasons. They have never been so exposed. 'On operations, to be compliant with the Human Rights Act, soldiers need their own lawyer on speed dial to advise them if there's a chance they might have to kill someone. The situation is beyond absurd. Soldiers didn't sign up to defend activist judges or a European legal system.' The case at the centre of the campaign involves the 1992 shooting of four IRA terrorists by SAS soldiers in Clonoe, County Tyrone. Following a police investigation and inquiries by the coroner, the RUC concluded at the time that there should be no prosecutions. The soldiers stated their use of lethal force was reasonable due to the threat posed by the IRA. However, last year they were ordered to appear before a new 'legacy inquest'. Coroner Mr Justice Humphreys ruled in February the soldiers' use of force was excessive, despite the terrorists having a heavy machine-gun and other guns. He claimed there was no attempt to arrest the four IRA men and determined, more than 30 years after the incident, that the soldiers should have waited for the IRA gang to disassemble the machine gun. The Ministry of Defence has vowed to challenge his verdict. But in the meantime, files have been passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland. This could trigger a criminal investigation. Last night, former SAS CO Aldwin Wight said it was absurd that the soldiers who confronted the IRA at Clonoe 'should have to face the possibility of criminal action based on a subsequent flawed inquest three decades later, under a law that didn't exist in 1992.' He said it 'will prove calamitous for national security. Nobody is going to volunteer to expose themselves to this sort of legal nonsense. 'When are ministers going to wake up to the need to protect serving and retired personnel from this creeping lawfare?' Relatives of the IRA terrorists brought the 'legacy inquest' citing Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the 1998 Human Rights Act. The previous Tory government brought in the Legacy Act to protect Northern Ireland veterans from prosecution and endless investigations. But Labour's manifesto included a pledge to repeal the 'unlawful' Act. The Northern Ireland Office has pledged to replace it 'in a way that is lawful, fair and that enables families, including military families, to find answers'.
