Death of Harry Dunn

Death of Harry Dunn
Photograph of a young man
Date27 August 2019
Time20:25 BST
LocationB4031 road near RAF Croughton
CauseRoad traffic collision
DeathsHarry Dunn
Burial17 September 2019
InquiriesNorthamptonshire Police
ConvictedAnne Sacoolas
Charges
  • Causing death by careless driving (convicted)
  • Causing death by dangerous driving (acquitted)
Sentence8 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and disqualified from driving for 12 months

Harry Dunn was a 19-year-old British man who died following a road traffic collision on 27 August 2019. He was riding his motorcycle near Croughton, Northamptonshire, near the exit to RAF Croughton, when a car travelling in the opposite direction and on the wrong side of the road collided with him. The car was driven by Anne Sacoolas, who was working for the United States Intelligence Community at the time of the collision;[1] she is married to CIA employee Jonathan Sacoolas, stationed at the time at USAF listening station RAF Croughton.[2][3][4][5] Sacoolas admitted that she had been driving the car on the wrong side of the road, and the police said that, based on CCTV footage, they believed that to be true. Dunn was pronounced dead at the Major Trauma Centre of John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

The collision caused diplomatic tension between British and American officials. Sacoolas fled Britain soon after the incident and claimed diplomatic immunity with American support.[4] On 20 October 2022 she pleaded guilty at a British court to causing the death of Harry Dunn by careless driving.[6] On 8 December 2022, she was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and disqualified from driving for 12 months. She had not attended the sentencing in person on the advice of the US government, despite the request of the judge.

  1. ^ "Harry Dunn's alleged killer Anne Sacoolas 'was working as US spy'". independent. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Harry Dunn: Anne Sacoolas's diplomatic immunity in question, US court is told". The Guardian. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  3. ^ Diver, Tony (9 February 2020). "Harry Dunn's mother is 'livid' she was not told Anne Sacoolas was a CIA agent". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Harry Dunn's alleged killer Anne Sacoolas 'was working as US spy'". Independent. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021. The court was told Ms Sacoolas fled the UK due to "issues of security" and had not returned because she feared she "would not have a fair trial" because of the "media attention".
  5. ^ Walker, Peter; Wintour, Patrick (9 February 2020). "Harry Dunn's family seek answers over reports Anne Sacoolas was CIA officer". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Anne Sacoolas pleads guilty to causing death of Harry Dunn". the Guardian. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.