19 July 2020

Harry Dunn’s mother appeals to PM to make son ‘top priority’

19 July 2020

The mother of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn has made an emotional appeal for the Prime Minister to make her son “top priority” during the US Secretary of State’s visit next week.

Charlotte Charles urged Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Mike Pompeo to discuss the case of her son nearly one year on from his death during Mr Pompeo’s visit to London on Monday.

In a video statement, she said: “Mr Raab, Mr Pompeo, Mr Johnson, when you get together next week with all of your families fully intact whilst mine is in complete tatters and my family has been ripped apart, can you please, please discuss Harry?

“We’ve been assured he’s high on your list of priorities to discuss amongst all of the other important global issues that you have surrounding you but please, please make him top priority.”

She said the anniversary of her 19-year-old son’s death next month will be “beyond painful”, and said she would not wish her anguish on her worst enemy.

Mr Dunn was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside a US military base in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.

Anne Sacoolas, 43, the wife of a US intelligence official and a reported CIA operative, claimed diplomatic immunity following the crash and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.

An extradition request submitted by the Home Office for her was rejected by Mr Pompeo in January – a decision the State Department has said is “final”.

Ms Charles added: “It’s been nearly a year, please don’t let this roll into a second year.

“We’ve got his anniversary coming up which is going to be beyond painful for us.

“We don’t want a repeat of the last 11 months. It has been horrific. You wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy. I don’t want to relive any of it ever again.

“It’s just about doing the right thing. It always has been, it always will be.

“We’ve always agreed immunity does need to be in place for certain circumstances. This isn’t one of them.

“Bring Anne Sacoolas back to the UK, face the justice system.”

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