Anne Sacoolas: Former US spy avoids jail over death of teen motorcyclist Harry Dunn

Published

2 years ago

December 8, 2022

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Anne Sacoolas has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months, for causing the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn by careless driving.

Sacoolas, 45, was driving her Volvo on the wrong side of the B4031 in Northamptonshire, a two-lane road with a 40mph limit, when she hit Harry, 19, who was riding in the opposite direction.

The former US spy was sentenced in an “unprecedented” case at the Old Bailey – but did not attend the hearing in person after American officials stepped in.

Latest updates on Anne Sacoolas sentencing

Sacoolas left the UK in August 2019, claiming diplomatic immunity following the collision outside US military base RAF Croughton.

It left the teenager’s grieving parents facing a “torturous” three-year journey to seek justice for their son.

She pleaded guilty to causing Harry’s death by careless driving, via a video link from Washington DC in October this year.

Alongside handing Sacoolas a suspended prison sentence, the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, also ruled that she is disqualified from driving for 12 months.

She told the defendant, who appeared in court on Thursday via a video link from her lawyer’s office in the US capital, that while she remained in America her sentence could not be enforced.

‘Little reason’ for Sacoolas not to attend court in person

Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb was critical of Sacoolas for not attending the sentencing hearing in person.

The court heard that she had been advised by American officials not to fly to the UK, as her return “could place significant US interests at risk”.

But Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said there was “little reason” for Sacoolas not to attend, as she had been granted bail.

She also praised Harry’s parents and family for their “dignified persistence”, which she said had led Sacoolas to “acknowledge her guilt”.

Delivering her sentence, the judge told Sacoolas: “You drove along the wrong side of the road for much more than a moment and you did not realise what you were doing when you came to a bend in the road.

“I bear in mind that this was a short period of driving and you were not familiar with English roads. The death of Harry Dunn is, of course, the highest degree of harm.

“Anyone who has caused death by driving would be expected to feel remorseful… and I accept that you feel genuine remorse.”

In a statement from Sacoolas, read out by her lawyer in court, she said that the mother-of-three lived with “regret every single day”.

She said: “There is not a day that goes by that Harry isn’t on my mind, and I am deeply sorry for the pain that I have caused.

“It’s for this reason that I have been so committed to a resolution to this case since 2019.”

Her barrister, Ben Cooper KC, also told the court that Sacoolas had been subject to harassment and multiple death threats and had moved home several times.

‘We’ve done it Harry’

Speaking outside the Old Bailey, Harry’s mother, Charlotte Charles, gave an emotional speech in which she said that Sacoolas would have a “criminal record for the rest of her life”.

Ms Charles, who said she had promised her son in hospital that she would get justice, added: “Yep, Harry, we’ve done it.

“We would have been happy with anything – for us, it was just about doing the right thing.”

Family spokesman Radd Seiger added: “Our real enemy here isn’t Anne Sacoolas, our real enemy here is the US government.”

At the time of the collision, Sacoolas was driving two of her children home from a barbecue at the Croughton air base in Northamptonshire.

The court heard on Thursday that Harry was thrown over the car and lay in the road as he said “don’t let me die”, after the collision.

Sacoolas called her husband to the scene and was seen to be crying with her head in her hands, the Old Bailey heard.

She acknowledged she was driving on the wrong side of the road, with speed not a factor and a breath test for alcohol showing negative, the court was told.

‘I made a promise to Harry’

In a victim impact statement, Ms Charles, sobbed as she described how her “world turned upside down”.

“He was the light of my life before he was so senselessly and cruelly taken from us. Harry just disappeared out of my life that night, shattering my existence forever,” she told the court.

She said Harry’s twin, Niall, continues to be “hit very hard” by the tragedy, adding: “I didn’t just lose one son the night Harry died. I lost Niall too.”

Ms Charles added: “His passing haunts me every minute of every day and I’m not sure how I’m ever going to get over it.

“I made a promise to Harry in hospital that we would get him justice and a mother never breaks a promise to her son.”

Ms Charles and Harry’s father, Tim Dunn, said they were “horrified” that Sacoolas was instructed to attend the hearing remotely and accused the US of “actively interfering” in British justice.

They described their fight for the truth as “totally torturous”, adding: “It’s not an exhaustion that you can go to bed and sleep off.”

Mr Dunn told Sky News: “I think if you ever really told our story to somebody who didn’t know (it) they wouldn’t believe some of the stuff we’ve had… from that awful night in the hospital.”

But he added: “It’s been worth all the heartache and the pain to prove that normal people from Northamptonshire can take on these people and get what should be done straightaway and get justice.”

‘I have nothing to say to her’

In October 2019, Harry’s family were invited to attend the White House and meet the-then president Donald Trump – who secretly arranged for Sacoolas to meet them in the Oval Office.

But the parents had no idea about the meeting and refused to take part in a photo-call Mr Trump was hoping for.

Now they say they have no desire to speak to her.

Ms Charles said: “You never say never, but I don’t think there’s a chance at all of that. It’s a bit too late. She’s had three years.”

Mr Dunn added: “I don’t feel there’s any need for me to meet her to be honest. I have nothing to say to her.”

Speaking following the conclusion of the sentencing, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “We have learnt important lessons from this tragic incident, including improvements to the process around exemptions from diplomatic immunity and ensuring the US takes steps to improve road safety around RAF Croughton.”

US

LA fires: Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal’s homes burn down as more celebrities evacuated

Published

44 mins ago

January 9, 2025

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LA fires: Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal's homes burn down as more celebrities evacuated

Hollywood celebrities are among thousands of people who have been evacuated in Los Angeles, some fleeing homes now burned to the ground.

Paris Hilton and actor Billy Crystal have both lost their houses as fires rip through parts of California, including exclusive suburbs home to film stars and billionaires.

Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren, talk show host Ricki Lake, actor Cary Elwes, and reality stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag have also confirmed their homes have been destroyed.

US media is reporting that Eugene Levy, and Adam Brody and Leighton Meester, have lost their homes. The stars are yet to confirm this.

Sky News’ US correspondent Martha Kelner reported that Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck and Reese Witherspoon were among those evacuated.

Follow latest: At least five killed as flames spread

The blaze in Pacific Palisades, a hillside area between Santa Monica and Malibu dotted with celebrity homes, is one of at least five raging in California.

Thousands of firefighters are trying to contain the flames, with a new fire breaking out overnight in the Hollywood Hills, threatening a host of tourist sites including the Walk Of Fame.

‘The loss is overwhelming’

Hilton said she was “heartbroken beyond words” to see her Malibu home, where she has brought up her young children Phoenix and London, “burn to the ground on live TV”.

In a post on social media, she said: “This home was where we built so many precious memories. It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London.

“While the loss is overwhelming, I’m holding onto gratitude that my family and pets are safe.”

In a joint statement, US actor Crystal, known for films including When Harry Met Sally and Analyze This, and his wife Janice confirmed their home of 46 years was gone.

“Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing,” the couple said.

They added: “We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away.”

The Hills stars Pratt and Montag documented the escalation of the fire at their home on Snapchat, with Pratt saying: “I’m watching our house burn down on the security cameras.”

His sister, Stephanie, who also starred in The Hills, as well as Made In Chelsea, told Sky News yesterday that she did not know if her own home was okay.

“I talked to my neighbour last night and she told me that [Palisades Charter High School] had burnt down, and that’s directly behind me, and so had Gelson’s Supermarket which is adjacent,” she said.

“I just can’t reach anyone to see if my house is okay. I just Googled it and it said that it’s destroyed and terrible… I don’t know if my house is there.”

Jamie Lee Curtis confirmed her home was safe but said “our beloved neighbourhood is gone” as she shared videos of the blaze on her Instagram.

Writer and actor Steve Guttenberg told Sky News he witnessed panic attacks and despair as he tried to help residents as the flames closed in.

The Police Academy star said: “There were mothers trying to find their kids.

“There were panic attacks. It was terrible. And that’s when the fires just lit up.”

Other celebrities who have fled their properties include the award-winning actor James Woods, who said he had been safely evacuated from his home in Pacific Palisades.

But he added in a post on X: “I do not know at this moment if our home is still standing.”

Actor Mark Hamill, best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, also posted on social media on Wednesday saying he evacuated his home in Malibu and his family were “fleeing for our lives”.

This Is Us actress Mandy Moore was also forced to leave her home with her children and pets, saying on Instagram they had found temporary refuge with friends.

The actress said: “Trying to shield the kids from the immense sadness and worry I feel.

“Praying for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. Don’t know if our place made it.”

An awards ceremony planned for this weekend has been pushed back by two weeks, while the Oscar nominations next week have also been postponed.

According to Velvet Ropes, which maps celebrity properties, Matt Damon, Steven Spielberg, Hilary Swank and Sally Field all have homes close to where fires are raging.

Dr Dre, Tyra Banks, Martin Short, Anna Faris, Milo Ventimiglia, Linda Cardellini, Mary McDonnell, Adam Sandler, Miles Teller, and Jennifer Love Hewitt are also said to have houses in affected areas.

In neighbouring Malibu, which was also affected by fires in December, stars including Beyonce and Jay-Z, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish are said to be among the celebrity residents.

The Palisades blaze has already burnt through nearly 16,000 acres of land, while the Eaton fire, covering over 10,000 acres, has caused the death of five people.

Three other fires, the Hurst fire, Lidia fire and Sunset fire, are all raging as emergency services battle to bring them under control.

US

All five living US presidents pictured together at funeral of Jimmy Carter

Published

4 hours ago

January 9, 2025

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All five living US presidents pictured together at funeral of Jimmy Carter

All five of the living US presidents have been pictured together at the funeral of Jimmy Carter.

The 39th US president died at the age of 100 on 29 December, in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

President Joe Biden gave a eulogy to his fellow Democrat at the state funeral at the Washington National Cathedral.

He appeared alongside president-elect Donald Trump and other former presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton and their respective spouses.

Vice president Kamala Harris, who lost the 2024 election to Mr Trump, was also seated with the group alongside her husband.

It’s the first time the Democrat nominee has been seen with the president-elect since the US election, and after she certified Mr Trump’s election win on Monday.

Before the service, Mr Trump was also seen shaking hands with former vice president Mike Pence – the first time the pair have been seen in public together since leaving the White House in 2021.

Prior to that, Mr Pence had refused to back Mr Trump’s claim he had won the 2020 election.

Mr Obama and Mr Trump were also seen talking before the service began.

During his eulogy, Mr Biden said Mr Carter taught him the importance of treating “everyone with dignity and respect.”

“To young people, to anyone in search of meaning and purpose, study the power of Jimmy Carter’s example,” the president said. “Character, faith, love – a true patriot.”

Joshua Carter, the former president’s grandson, also said at the service: “He built houses for people who needed homes.

“He eliminated diseases in forgotten places. He waged peace anywhere in the world, wherever he saw a chance. He loved people.”

From 4 January, Mr Carter’s body was carried by a motorcade through Plains, before heading to the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta.

The former president’s remains were then flown to Maryland and transferred in a ceremony to a hearse, which was carried in a motorcade to the US Navy Memorial in Washington to honour Mr Carter’s service as a lieutenant in the Navy.

He has since been lying in state at the Capitol Building, where the public could pay respects from Tuesday evening through to Thursday morning

Mr Carter’s body will now be returned to his hometown in Georgia for a second service and burial.

There, a private ceremony will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church before another procession through Plains, where supporters are being encouraged to line the streets for the motorcade.

Mr Carter will then be buried on his property next to his late wife, Rosalynn, who died in 2023.