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Friday March 29, 2024

Harry Dunn case: Extradition refusal a ‘denial of justice’, says PM

By Pa
January 28, 2020

LONDON: The Prime Minister has said the refusal to grant an extradition request for the suspect charged in connection with the death of Harry Dunn is a “denial of justice”.

Boris Johnson’s words have been welcomed by the teenager’s mother, Charlotte Charles, who told the PA news agency they are “words that need action behind them”.

Johnson is the latest senior government figure to criticise the US secretary of state’s decision to reject the request for the return of Anne Sacoolas to the UK - following in the footsteps of the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary.

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “We believe that this is a denial of justice and the individual concerned should return to the UK.” The Prime Minister also “reiterated the need” for Mrs Sacoolas to return to the UK during a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Friday.

Dunn was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside a US military base in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year. Mrs Sacoolas, 42, the wife of a US intelligence official based at RAF Croughton, was granted diplomatic immunity after the crash, sparking an international controversy.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected an extradition request by the UK government for Sacoolas on Thursday.

Reacting to Johnson’s comments, Mrs Charles told PA that he needs to “use his power” to put the pressure on Trump and Pompeo to send the suspect back to the UK. She said: “The fact that he has come out and said that is obviously a good thing but we hope that he can follow this up with actions now.

“He needs to use his power, because he’s the only person with the power to tell Trump and Pompeo that she needs to come back. It feels good that he’s on the same page as us and this is certainly a step in the right direction.”

Asked what her message to the Prime Minister would be, Charles told PA: “Make the country proud of you. There are a lot of people out there who don’t necessarily have faith in this government and this is a chance for him to restore a bit of that faith. “It’s certainly another step forward but until I see action, they are not empty words, but they are words that need action behind them to show us that they are 100% going to stand up for us.”

Dunn’s parents have said they are confident talks with Raab will be “constructive and productive” - adding that it is “more important now than ever” to be on the same page. Pompeo is set to have a meeting with Raab on Wednesday.