Sunday 13 October 2019

Sacoolas Sorry But Staying Put

Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat, wants to meet Harry Dunn's parents to offer an apology although it isn't clear if it is for killing their son or running away to try and avoid British justice after killing him by driving on the wrong side of the road.
Harry's parents are flying to the United States after the Foreign Office said that Anne Sacoolas no longer has diplomatic immunity because she has returned home.
Ahead of a potential meeting, where Mrs Sacoolas is said to be 'devastated by this tragic accident', she has said that she wants to 'express her deepest sympathies and apologies' but the grieving parents have quite rightly said: 'that's not really quite enough' and are pushing for Mrs Sacoolas, who has a previous conviction for driving without due care and attention, to be extradited back to the UK to face justice.
The Foreign Office has had no success in its efforts to persuade the White House to send her back to the UK, and it is doubtful that Sacoolas will come back voluntarily but the UK could trial her in absence and if found guilty, apply for her extradition which would go to a US court to decide, although again, that is unlikely to be granted.
The more likely option, and already under consideration, is for the US family to file civil proceedings in the US but what certainly won't help the family is the woman who killed their son by driving dangerously and then fled the country to escape prosecution saying sorry and then hiding away on the other side of the Atlantic, protected by her Government, hiding away from British police.

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