Britain charges wife of American diplomat over teenager’s death

LONDON: British authorities on Friday charged the wife of an American diplomat who left the country after being involved in a car accident that killed a teenager.

The case of Anna Sacoolas has been a thorn in London’s close relations with Washington, stirring up debates over the limits of diplomatic immunity in cases unrelated to national security.

The US State Department said it was ‘disappointed’ by Friday’s development, reasserting that in Washington’s view Sacoolas enjoys diplomatic immunity in the case.

Briton Harry Dunn, 19, died on

Aug 27 when his motorbike and a car driving on the wrong side of the road collided near an airbase in Northamptonshire, central England, which is used by the US military as a communications hub.

Sacoolas admitted in October to being the driver, but has cited immunity while refusing to return to Britain to face justice, as Dunn’s parents demand.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said it has now authorised police in Northamptonshire to charge Sacoolas in absentia with causing death by dangerous driving. — AFP