Plea over road safety around US bases

THE FAMILY of Harry Dunn have pleaded with the Ministry of Defence to undertake an “urgent” review into road safety around US military bases after the teenager’s death.

In a letter to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, the 19-year-old’s parents ask for a meeting to hear about the steps the Ministry will take to “ensure this never happens to another family again”.

Mr Dunn’s mother Charlotte Charles and father Tim Dunn say they have been informed of 15 separate incidents in which people have either died or suffered life-changing injuries after being “struck by Americans driving on the wrong side of the road”.

Their teenage son died when his motorcycle crashed into a car outside RAF Croughton, in Northamptonshire, on August 27 last year.

The suspect in the case, 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence official, was granted diplomatic immunity following the crash and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.

Mrs Sacoolas was charged in December with causing Mr Dunn’s death by dangerous driving.

Despite the UK making an extradition request for Mrs Sacoolas, the Prime Minister has said the chances of her returning are “very low”.

After the emergence of footage of a separate road incident in which a blue BMW appeared to be driving on the wrong side of the road, Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police Nick Adderley said he would be funding driver training for all US staff at the base from March 12.

The video, reported to the force on Saturday, shows the car with what appears to be a registration number used on US government vehicles in the UK.