London, (Samajweekly) A US woman accused of killing a British teenager in England and fled Britain, will face criminal proceedings in the UK in January 2022, the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said.
Harry Dunn, 19, died in August 2019 after a crash outside the Royal Air Force base in Northamptonshire used by the US military, Xinhua news agency reported.
After the crash, driver Anne Sacoolas, wife of a US Intelligence official based at the camp, and also reportedly a US Intelligence officer, fled Britain and claimed diplomatic immunity.
Dunn’s family launched a legal challenge claiming Sacoolas should not have been granted immunity and the family wants Sacoolas to return to Britain to face justice.
In December 2019, CPS authorised Northamptonshire Police to charge Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving. An extradition request for her to be brought to the UK was rejected by the US government.
Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, said her family were feeling “very emotional and overwhelmed” by the news that Sacoolas would face UK justice system.
“It is all that we asked for following Harry’s death,” she said.
Despite the CPS announcement, lawyers of Sacoolas said there is currently no agreement to have their client appear in a hearing, according to media reports. They also denied reports that the 44-year-old would attend through a video link.
