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An independent review has criticised the Foreign Office for its handling of the Harry Dunn case, highlighting significant shortcomings that contributed to mistrust within the victim’s family. Harry Dunn, a 19-year-old motorcyclist, tragically died in 2019 after being hit by a car driven by Anne Sacoolas on the wrong side of the road near RAF Croughton, a US military base in Northamptonshire. Sacoolas, who was working for the US State Department and had diplomatic immunity as the wife of a US intelligence officer, left the UK shortly after the incident, a fact that was not promptly communicated to the family.
The review, led by Dame Anne Owers, found that the UK government failed to treat the case as a crisis and withheld critical information from Harry’s family for weeks. Sacoolas departed the country on 15 September 2019, but the family was not officially informed of her leaving, her identity, or her immunity status until 26 September. Dame Anne explained that this lack of transparency fueled suspicions and distrust, with the family fearing a deliberate cover-up involving both the UK and US authorities. The father of Harry Dunn, who worked at the school attended by Sacoolas’s children, had already learned about their departure independently, which only intensified these concerns.
The report examined actions taken by what is now called the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) from the date of Dunn’s death until the end of that year. It noted that the police had decided against arresting Sacoolas at the scene due to her apparent state of shock. The FCDO delayed informing the family at the request of the police, seeking extra time to prepare, and even asked police not to mention this delay during meetings with the family. Anne Sacoolas subsequently pleaded guilty in 2022 to causing death by careless driving and received an eight-month suspended sentence. The loophole granting diplomatic immunity to Sacoolas was closed the following year.
Dame Anne acknowledged the intense pressure felt by the FCDO’s Protocol Directorate but stressed the need for improved handling of such cases. Her recommendations included reinforcing resources with early ministerial involvement during exceptional incidents, developing clear strategies for communication with victims’ families, and ensuring consular staff with appropriate expertise are engaged in sensitive diplomatic matters. The report further criticised the department for slow and inconsistent communication and failure to acknowledge the family as key allies in seeking justice and systemic change. Charlotte Charles, Harry’s mother, described the review as an emotional ordeal that validated their persistent frustrations, while his father, Tim Dunn, called for all recommendations to be fully implemented to prevent similar situations in the future. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed commitment to learning from these failures and praised the family’s strength in the aftermath of the tragedy
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