The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Mum’s disgust over Trump note
US: Leak reveals crash suspect granted immunity
A suspect granted diplomatic immunity in the case of a teen killed in a road crash will not be returned to the UK, according to notes held by President Donald Trump.
Harry Dunn, 19, died when his motorbike crashed into a car outside an RAF base on August 27.
After addressing reporters on the case at the White House, a photograph has since emerged which showed a note held by Mr Trump that reads: “(If raised) Note, as Secretary Pompeo told Foreign Secretary Raab, that the spouse of the US government employee will not return to the United Kingdom.”
Since the photograph has surfaced, Mr Dunn’s mother Charlotte Charles has blasted the president, suggesting his approach to the case has been “beyond any realm of human thinking”.
The suspect, 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas, reportedly married to a US intelligence official, was granted diplomatic immunity following the crash.
The car which crashed into Mr Dunn was thought to have been driving on the wrong side of the road after leaving RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire, a military base used by the US Air Force.
The teenager’s family met the foreign secretary on Wednesday but said they left the meeting feeling “angry” and “disappointed”, with Ms Charles later saying it seemed like a “publicity stunt” and that they felt “patronised” by Dominic Raab.
Mr Raab met Mr Dunn’s mother and father Tim Dunn on Wednesday afternoon after having talks with US ambassador Woody Johnson on Tuesday.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Trump said wrong-way driving “happens” after being asked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reconsider granting immunity to Mrs Sacoolas.
His words were met with anger by Ms Charles, who said she was unhappy with the president’s “throw-away comments”.
Speaking to Sky News about the photograph of notes held by Mr Trump which seemed to suggest Mrs Sacoolas would not be returning to the UK, Ms Charles said: “I’m just disgusted.
“I don’t see the point in Boris Johnson talking to President Trump.
“If he’d already made his decision that if it were to be asked and if it were to be raised, the answer was already going to be no.”
Mr Trump confirmed that his administration would seek to speak to the driver, after Number 10 said the prime minister had urged him to “reconsider” in a phone call.