London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 02, 2026

Government did not know Harry Dunn's alleged killer was a US spy

Government did not know Harry Dunn's alleged killer was a US spy

The UK Government did not know that the woman suspected of killing Harry Dunn was a spy.

Harry Dunn, 19, was riding his motorbike when he died in a crash outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019.

US diplomat Jonathan Sacoolas’s wife, Anne, was charged with causing Mr Dunn’s death by dangerous driving.

But she claimed diplomatic immunity, meaning she cannot be prosecuted under British law, and the UK’s requests to extradite her have been blocked.

On Wednesday 3 a court in Virginia heard that one of the reasons she could not return to the UK to face trial was because she worked for a US intelligence agency at the time of Mr Dunn’s death and had fled the UK because of ‘issues of security’.

Her lawyer, John McGavin, told the court he could not ‘completely candidly’ explain why the Sacoolas family left the UK, adding: ‘I know the answer, but I cannot disclose it.’

Today, Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson told reporters that the British Government did not know Mrs Sacoolas was a US spy.

He said: ‘We don’t comment on intelligence matters’, but added: ‘She was notified to the UK Government by the US as a spouse with no official role.

Referring to the latest developments he said:’I would emphasise that our position on this case remains unchanged, we have consistently called for her diplomatic immunity to be waived and believe that the US refusal to extradite her amounts to a denial of justice.’

Mrs Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity and ‘fled’ the UK

Harry Dunn, 19, died in a road accident in 2019


The US and the UK have an agreement, dating back to 1995, that RAF Croughton staff cannot claim diplomatic immunity for actions that are not part of their duties and can be prosecuted for them in the UK.

But last year the High Court ruled Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity because she was the spouse of a US staff member, a loophole that has since been closed.

The recent revelation that she was in fact working for US intelligence could mean she may not have been entitled to claim diplomatic immunity as a spouse.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy asked foreign secretary Dominic Raab to ‘explain himself’ over whether he ‘simply accepted the US Embassy’s account’ or whether he ‘misled the House’ over Anne Sacoolas’s role with the US State Department.

She said: ‘As an employee at RAF Croughton Anne Sacoolas would not have been entitled to immunity from prosecution.

‘Dominic Raab told MPs that she was entitled to protection as the spouse of an employee, but new information provided by her lawyer clearly indicates that she wasn’t.

‘Did the Foreign Secretary simply accept the US Embassy’s account without asking any of the right questions on behalf of a UK citizen, or has he misled the House?

‘After almost 18 months of fighting for justice for their son, Harry’s family deserve the truth. Dominic Raab must come before MPs tomorrow and explain himself.’

Harry Dunn’s mum Charlotte Charles said there is still time for both governments to work to get justice




Mr Dunn’s mother Charlotte Charles said: ‘We did our level best before the campaign went public to try and deal with this amicably and publicly and we came up against a brick wall.

‘We’ve been put through hell over the last 18 months, totally needlessly.

‘That said, there is still time for both governments to come forward and to work with us to ensure that there is justice for my son.

‘We remain absolutely open to holding talks with officials in London and Washington to find a path forward.’

US State Department spokesman Ned Price ‘We again offer our sincere condolences and sympathy to the Dunn family for the loss of their son. This was a tragic accident.

‘Since the tragic accident occurred, the United States has been closely engaged with the UK government, and we have been transparent about our positions on legal and diplomatic matters concerning this accident.

‘At the time the accident occurred, and for the duration of her stay in the UK, the US citizen driver in this case had immunity from criminal jurisdiction.

‘As we have said previously, the driver had diplomatic immunity because she was the spouse of an accredited staff member of the US Embassy office.

‘We do not have further comment on these judicial proceedings.’

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: ‘The UK High Court has found that Anne Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity while in the country under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Scottish Court to Rule on Bid to Force No-Confidence Vote Against Aberdeen Council Co-Leader
UK Bans Extra Charges for Seating Children Under 12 Beside Accompanying Adults
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and New Licensing Requirements
Greggs to Close Four UK Factories and Cut 740 Jobs
Hundreds of Prisoners Released Early as England and Wales Prisons Reach 98% Capacity
UK Unveils New Russia Sanctions Targeting War Funding and Shadow Fleet
Burnham Says There Are Strong Indications of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Security Breach
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Reviewing Britain's Post-Brexit EU Relationship
Markets Price in Bank of England Rate Increases as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Borrowing Costs Climb Toward 5.5% as Global Bond Sell-Off Intensifies
UK-France One-In-One-Out Migration Agreement Expires as London Seeks Alternative Measures
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
Scottish Government Proposes Replacing 32 Councils With Larger Regional Authorities
Ofgem Raises UK Household Energy Price Cap by 4% From October
UK Counter-Terrorism Police Continue Investigation After Five Arrests Near RAF Fairford
OECD Cuts UK 2027 Growth Forecast to 1%
Labour Says State Pension Triple Lock Remains Protected Through Current Parliament
Andy Burnham Pledges National Care Service With Free Social Care in England
Six Flags Permanently Shuts Landmark X2 Roller Coaster Following Safety Scandals
Metropolitan Police Rule Out Terrorism in Golders Green Stabbing Investigation
Lithium-Ion Battery Identified as Cause of Fatal Merseyside House Fire
UK Department Rejects New Sea Use Framework Due to Stakeholder Fatigue
Major Thames Water Pipe Burst Causes School Closures in London
Aldi Commits £900 Million to Expand UK Supermarket Network
Scottish Affairs Committee Warns Skills Shortages Threaten Defence Sector Expansion
Parliamentary Committee Warns Northern Ireland Budget Deadlock is Stalling Economic Growth
NHS Hospitals in England Face Severe Shortages of Essential Medications
Home Secretary Signals Major Overhaul of UK Immigration and Leave to Remain Policies
Chancellor Promises New Job Schemes Alongside Strict Fiscal Discipline
Energy Secretary Proposes Taxpayer-Funded Green Transition and National Electricity Grid
UK Government to Renationalise Avanti West Coast Railway Franchise in March
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Major Social Care and Infrastructure Reforms
Five Suspects Released on Bail Following Alleged Bomb Plot Near RAF Fairford
UK Diesel Prices Hit Record High of 199p Per Litre
Transport for Wales and Network Rail Complete Electrification of South Wales Metro
Defra Expands Incentives for Sustainable Farming and Biodiversity in England
Northern Ireland Executive Approves Funding Package to Resolve Public Sector Pay Disputes
Universities UK Warns of Financial Insolvency Risks for Higher Education Institutions
UK Prisons Activate Emergency Protocols to Manage Capacity Pressures
×