The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Lawyers claim Foreign Office lied
Lawyers representing the family of Harry Dunn have said they are taking legal action against the Foreign Office and launching an investigation into police conduct “imminently”.
The teenager’s family’s spokesman, Radd Seiger, said they would be referring Northamptonshire Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over their actions during the investigation into his death. Mr Seiger said this was “just the beginning” and they would also, at a later stage, review the role of the US administration in the granting of diplomatic immunity to the American suspect, Anne Sacoolas.
The family’s lawyers, led by Geoffrey Robertson QC, will also consider civil action against 42-year-old Mrs Sacoolas but that is yet to be decided.
The US diplomat’s wife is believed to have been driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit Mr Dunn’s motorbike outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27.
Mr Seiger said he was relieved to finally get the ball rolling.
He said: “We are reviewing the Foreign Office’s decision to advise Northamptonshire Police that Mrs Sacoolas had the benefit of diplomatic immunity – because when that is declared the police can do nothing.
“They have been lying and withholding information from us. We felt sick when we went through the timeline of events. We are absolutely clear that the Foreign Office’s decision to advise Northamptonshire Police that Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity was unlawful and we will be seeking to launch a judicial review of that decision and have it quashed.”
A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: “Northamptonshire Police are happy to support the IOPC with any concerns raised by the family.”
The Foreign Office has been contacted for a comment.