Harry Dunn’s family ‘horrified’ US government has told killer Anne Sacoolas not to attend UK sentencing
Ms Sacoolas crashed her Volvo and killed the 19-year-old motorcyclist in August 2019
Harry Dunn’s family said they are “horrified” his killer Anne Sacoolas has been advised by her US government employer not to attend her own sentencing hearing in person.
Ms Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road when she crashed her Volvo and killed the 19-year-old motorcyclist in August 2019.
The 45-year-old pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving in October, where sentencing judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb urged her to return to Britain to face justice.
Confirming that a renewed application to appear at the Old Bailey sentencing hearing set for 8 December via video link had been granted, court administrational staff said: “The application made jointly by the prosecution and defence for Ms Sacoolas to participate and be sentenced by live link has been renewed.
“The defence have supplied material in support of the application including evidence that Ms Sacoolas’s government employer has advised her not to attend in person.
“The judge has granted the application.”
Reacting to the news that the US government had advised Ms Sacoolas not to attend court on Thursday, the Dunn family’s spokesman Radd Seiger told the PA news agency they were “horrified”.
“Harry’s family are victims of a serious crime and they have been kept in the dark completely about what is to come at Thursday’s hearing since Ms Sacoolas’s guilty plea on 20 October.
“We are horrified to learn that the United States government is now actively interfering in our criminal justice system.
“Their ongoing cruel treatment of Harry’s parents is nothing short of inhumane and it continues to take a heavy toll on their mental health.
“If there is a genuine reason why Ms Sacoolas should not appear in court on Thursday, as directed by the judge, then the parents would happily accept that.
“But, on the face of it, it appears that this is nothing short of a cowardly act on the part of an oppressor.
“I have today asked for an urgent meeting with the foreign secretary James Cleverly to understand what action the British government intends to take in response.”
Sacoolas has attended both previous court hearings via video link from her lawyer’s offices in Washington DC.
Adjourning sentencing at the previous hearing, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said although she could not compel Sacoolas to face justice in person, it would provide “weighty evidence” of “genuine remorse”.
The US State Department and Ms Sacoolas’s representatives have been contacted for comment.