American diplomat’s wife may be handed Interpol red notice

The wife of a US intelligence officer involved in a fatal collision that killed British teenager Harry Dunn could be handed an Interpol red notice, meaning she risks arrest if she ever leaves the US.

Anne Sacoolas, 42, was wrongly granted diplomatic immunity after the crash in Northamptonshire on August 27 when she hit 19-year-old Mr Dunn’s motorcycle.

It is understood Mrs Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road.

She was “spirited out” of the UK on a military aircraft three weeks later and Mr Dunn’s family have been told by the US security adviser Robert O’Brien that she will not be returning to face justice.

Mr O’Brien instead tried to orchestrate a meeting between the teenager’s parents and Mrs Sacoolas at the White House, to be followed by a photo opportunity where he hoped the parties would embrace.

The family’s lawyer Mark Stephens branded Mr O’Brien a “nincompoop in a hurry” for the failed stunt.

He added: “Having ice in your veins is a very good characteristic for being a spy but thinking you can treat human beings in that way, you would have to be a nincompoop.

“He’s piled additional grief and hurt on the Dunn family that was entirely unnecessary – he started it by causing her to be a fugitive from justice, spiriting her out of the country on US Air Force transport without telling the Northamptonshire Police.”

The family declined to meet Mrs Sacoolas, although they added that Donald Trump said “let’s try and come at this another way” and were hopeful he would take steps to move the situation forward.

Northamptonshire Police said it would soon submit a case file on the crash to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.

If Mrs Sacoolas is charged with causing death by careless driving, or a more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving, the force can issue an extradition request or a red notice by Interpol.