Harry Dunn’s parents call for parliamentary inquiry into son’s death

The family of Harry Dunn have urged the shadow foreign secretary to call for a parliamentary inquiry into the handling of their son’s death.

Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn said they felt “uplifted” and believed Lisa Nandy would “take things forward on our and the nation’s behalf” after a virtual meeting with her on Friday.

The PA news agency understands that Ms Nandy raised the case with the UK ambassador to the US, Karen Pierce, shortly after meeting Mrs Charles and Mr Dunn.

The family’s spokesman, Radd Seiger, said the shadow foreign secretary told the parents she would discuss the next steps with chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat, chairwoman of the Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper and shadow attorney general Charlie Falconer.

Harry, 19, was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside a US military base in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.

His alleged killer, 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence official, claimed diplomatic immunity following the crash outside RAF Croughton and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.

She was charged with causing the teenager’s death by dangerous driving in December but an extradition request submitted by the Home Office was rejected by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in January.

Speaking after their virtual meeting with Ms Nandy, Mrs Charles and Mr Dunn said: “Lisa was really lovely and amazing with us.

“She allowed us the space and time to tell her how we are feeling and how unfair it all is.

“To lose our son was bad enough but to be abandoned and mistreated the way we have been by the British Government, who were clearly trying to sweep us under the carpet, is inhumane.

“We will not let another family go through what we have been through.

“We could see in Lisa’s eyes how awful she felt about what has happened and feel uplifted that she will now take things forward on our and the nation’s behalf.”

Addressing what was discussed in the meeting, Mr Seiger told PA: “During our meeting we urged Lisa Nandy to help get justice for Harry and she discussed a number of avenues open to her as shadow foreign secretary.

“We discussed her call for a parliamentary inquiry and she told us that she was going to discuss that as a next step with Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Committee, to undertake a joint inquiry into the handling of the Sacoolas affair.

“The Foreign Office’s handling of the Anne Sacoolas affair and their subsequent mistreatment of the family has been a national disgrace and scandalous and will have to come under close scrutiny.

“Lessons must be learned and those in authority will be held to account.”