Harry Dunn's family feeling 'completely hopeless' about prospect of justice

9 September 2020, 19:40 | Updated: 9 September 2020, 19:41

Harry Dunn's family feeling 'completely hopeless' about prospect of justice

The family of Harry Dunn have said they are “feeling completely hopeless” about the prospect of reaching justice over the teenager’s death after their latest meeting with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

His parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, met the Director of Public Prosecutions on Wednesday, who has concluded the teenager’s alleged killer did not have diplomatic immunity.

Max Hill QC's conclusion contrasts with that of the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, who told Parliament on October 21 that Anne Sacoolas did have immunity.

Ms Sacoolas claimed immunity following a road crash which resulted in the 19-year-old's death in August last year.

The 43-year-old was able to return to her home country on September 15 but was subsequently charged with causing Mr Dunn's death by dangerous driving in December.

An extradition request submitted by the Home Office was rejected by the US State Department in January - a decision it later described as "final".

There has also been discussion of a virtual trial, but family spokesman Radd Seiger said it was “clear that the Americans are just after some sort of show trial, almost to just appease the parents.”

Mr Seiger said: “We’ve just finished a lengthy meeting with the Director of Public Prosecutions and I have to say we’ve come out feeling extremely disappointed.

“The parents have gone away feeling completely let down, because we feel we came down today and we had been led to believe there had been some good news, that there was some progress towards a resolution, and that at the very least they could look forward in the coming weeks or months to some sort of justice for Harry.

“Having spent all that time with the Director of Public Prosecutions, it’s clear that his team have done everything they can to get justice for Harry.

“They are being completely let down by the United States administration, who continue to wreak havoc on their mental health.

“They have had to leave today and are feeling completely hopeless at the moment that there is going to be no resolution.

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“It’s absolutely clear that the Americans are using them as a political football, they are toying with them.”

He continued: “There was some discussion, as you all know there’s been talk of a virtual trial over the last few weeks.

“We’d been led to believe that was going to be a real trial under English law, and that English justice would be delivered, albeit that Ms Sacoolas would remain in the United States and serve any sentence over there.

“It’s clear that the Americans are just after some sort of show trial, almost to just appease the parents, and as the DPP Max Hill just said in there, that would absolutely deliver no justice at all.

“So here we are, it’s just passed a year since Harry died, and these parents are at the moment no closer to any resolution.

“The American government, the administration, should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.”

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Commenting after the meeting, Greg McGill, the CPS director of legal services, said: "Today we have met with the family of Harry Dunn to update them on the various steps the CPS has taken over the last 10 months to secure justice in this tragic case.

"The challenges and complexity of this case are well known, but the CPS and other partners have been working tirelessly to do all they can so that Anne Sacoolas faces the charge we have brought - causing death by dangerous driving.

"We know this is a very difficult process for the family, which is why we wanted to assure them personally that we continue to seek justice for them and for the public."