Harry Dunn: Teenager's mother makes plea for suspected killer Anne Sacoolas to face video trial
Charlotte Charles tells Sky News of her family's wish for "closure" following an 11-month fight for justice over her son's death.
Tuesday 11 August 2020 14:24, UK
The mother of Harry Dunn has made an emotional plea for her son's suspected killer to face justice via video link and put an end to the "barbaric treatment" the family has suffered over the past 11 months.
On 27 August last year, Harry, 19, died after his motorcycle was hit by a car outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.
The suspected driver Anne Sacoolas, the 42-year-old wife of a US intelligence official working at the base, claimed diplomatic immunity following the crash and was able to return to America.
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of her son's death, Charlotte Charles is continuing her fight for Ms Sacoolas to face a British court.
The family's local MP, Andrea Leadsom, is urging the UK government to consider a "virtual trial" for Ms Sacoolas as a means of achieving closure in the case, but without undermining the US decision not to accept an extradition request.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Charles appealed to Ms Sacoolas to "help me to fulfil the promise" that she made to her son on the night he died to achieve justice over his death.
"My promise that I made to him on the night that, unfortunately we lost him, still burns so terribly, terribly strong," she said.
"I need her and I need the UK and US governments to continue to work with us to try to make sure that my promise is completed."
The family's spokesman, Radd Seiger, told Sky News that the possibility of a "totally unprecedented" virtual trial was something officials are "working on behind the scenes".
"We are no longer talking about if Anne Sacoolas comes back to face the justice system, but how," he said.
"That's the really important development."
He added: "Justice must be done."
Mr Seiger urged US officials to "not let this torture spill into a second year" for Harry's family.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on , , ,
In the 11 months since her son's death, Ms Charles said that the family had "moved mountains" in their campaign for Ms Sacoolas to face justice.
"As a team, we've achieved so, so very much, many, many things that we were told in the beginning we would never get close to," she added.
"We've moved forward a long way in those 11 months.
"But the barbaric treatment we've been put through, we don't wish to enter year two and start that all over again and continue fighting the way we have.
"They've got to do everything they can to bring this to some closure for us now."
Ms Leadsom has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Solicitor General Michael Ellis, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and the Crown Prosecution Service over the idea of a virtual trial.
"She could remain on US soil, have a virtual trial with a UK court, and should there be a custodial sentence, she could serve it in the US under the existing prisoner transfer agreement," the South Northamptonshire MP wrote.
The Attorney General's Office confirmed to Sky News it had received the letter but made no further comment.