What transpired in the Harry Dunn case?

Six years after motorcyclist Harry Dunn tragically died outside a US military base in the United Kingdom, two official reviews have criticized how the case was managed. Anne Sacoolas, the US citizen driving the car that collided with Harry, received an eight-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Incident Details

Harry Dunn, 19, was described by his mother Charlotte Charles as "larger than life" with an infectious sense of humor. On 27 August 2019, his motorbike was struck near RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire, by a car driven by Sacoolas shortly after she exited the base. The car was traveling on the wrong side of the road at the time.

At the time of the crash, Sacoolas was granted diplomatic immunity by the US government and returned to the United States. The 2025 investigative review described her as a married mother of three with a US drivers license since age 15. Her husband Jonathan was a US intelligence officer, and their young children were in the car during the incident. The family had only been in the UK for a few weeks and were attending a barbecue at RAF Croughton.

Diplomatic Controversy

The crash sparked a diplomatic dispute between the UK and the US. Harry Dunns parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, campaigned for the case to reach court, eventually meeting former US President Donald Trump in October 2019. They were unable to meet Sacoolas, who was in a nearby room. Despite charges being authorized by the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in December 2019, an extradition request was denied by the US government.

Both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss raised the matter with US officials. In the absence of extradition, the Dunn family pursued a civil claim for damages in the US.

Court Proceedings

In 2021, it was revealed that Sacoolas was employed by a US intelligence agency at the time of the crash, which contributed to her departure from the UK. She later pleaded guilty via video-link at the Old Bailey on 20 October 2022 to causing death by careless driving. She received an eight-month suspended sentence, a 12-month driving disqualification, and did not attend the sentencing hearing in person based on US government advice.

Family Reactions

Charlotte Charles expressed relief at reaching court, saying she could finally speak to her son and tell him justice had been pursued. Tim Dunn shared that he frequently visits the crash site to maintain it and hoped their efforts inspire other families to seek justice.

A second funeral for Harry was held in March 2024 after human tissue was returned to the family. An inquest in June 2024 confirmed his death resulted from a road traffic collision and recommended driver training for US personnel in the UK.

Official Reviews

Northamptonshire Police conducted a review into the handling of the case, issuing 38 recommendations. The investigation found that Sacoolas could and should have been arrested at the scene, and criticized the failure to collect body camera footage. Former Chief Constable Nick Adderley was censured for making misleading statements about Sacoolass immunity and for mishandling communications with the familys spokesperson, Radd Seiger.

Dame Anne Owers also reviewed the Foreign Offices actions, concluding the department mishandled the case, delayed informing the family about Sacoolass departure, and missed opportunities to influence US authorities. Recommendations included earlier ministerial engagement in similar cases. The Foreign Secretary accepted the findings and committed to applying the lessons learned.

Author: Riley Thompson