Anne Sacoolas, the killer of British teenager Harry Dunn, has been handed an eight-month suspended sentence by a judge, who also disqualified the US citizen for driving for 12 months.
The family of Dunn had said this week that they were “horrified” after learning the US government had advised the American citizen not to attend the hearing at the central criminal court.
Sacoolas, who appeared by video link from the US, was handed the sentence by a judge who had urged her to attend the sentencing hearing in person after she pleaded guilty, again remotely, in October to causing the death of Dunn by careless driving.
The 19-year-old was killed when his motorbike was struck by Sacoolas driving a car near the US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire, where her husband was an intelligence officer.
She had diplomatic immunity asserted on her behalf by the US administration and left the UK after Dunn’s death, prompting a three-year campaign to have the case brought to court.
Dunn’s family have previously demanded to know whether the UK was told she was an alleged former CIA officer, and if this gave her extra protection from extradition.
His mother, Charlotte Charles, read out a statement to the court earlier on Thursday in which she told how her son had been “senselessly and cruelly” taken away from his family, who have continued to be wracked with stress, depression and the results of being unable to work.
More details soon …
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish