US rebuffs move to bring death crash suspect back to UK
US authorities have described a request to extradite the American suspect charged over the death of British motorcyclist Harry Dunn as “highly inappropriate”.
Diplomat’s wife Anne Sacoolas has been accused of causing the 19-year-old’s death by dangerous driving in Northamptonshire last month.
The teenager died following a collision involving his motorbike and a car outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.
The 42-year-old suspect, the wife of a US intelligence official, claimed diplomatic immunity after the collision and was able to return to her home country, sparking international controversy.
On Friday, the Home Office confirmed it had formally asked for her return to the UK.
But while expressing sympathy for the Dunn family, a US State Department spokeswoman said: “The United States has a strong law enforcement relationship with the UK and, in particular, a strong track record of close cooperation on extradition matters.
“However, under the circumstances of this case, we strongly believe that an extradition request would be highly inappropriate.
“Since the accident occurred, the United States has been engaged with the UK, and we have been transparent about our positions on legal, diplomatic, and other matters. We continue to be engaged with the UK government to look at options for moving forward.”
The Home Office said: “This is now a decision for the US authorities.”