Harry Dunn: Parents reach resolution in civil case against suspect

Harry Dunn died in hospital after his motorbike was involved in a crash outside RAF Croughton

The parents of Harry Dunn have reached a "resolution" in a civil claim for damages with the woman alleged to have killed him, the family's spokesman has said.

Mr Dunn, 19, died when his motorbike was hit by a car driven by US citizen Anne Sacoolas near RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire, in 2019.

She later left the country, claiming diplomatic immunity.

Dunn family spokesman Radd Seiger said the outcome was "a real milestone".

Details of the agreement reached between the parties involved in the civil case have not been disclosed.

Anne Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity after Harry Dunn died

Mrs Sacoolas's car collided with the teenager's motorbike moments after she left the US base, where her husband Jonathan worked for a US intelligence agency.

The teenager's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, brought the civil claim against Mrs Sacoolas in the US state of Virginia.

'Challenges and complexity'

Harry Dunn's family began the damages case against Anne Sacoolas to force her to give evidence about what happened, because it appeared to be the only way to get her into court.

But that was before the Biden administration assured London that it would not stand in the way of some kind of alternative process of achieving justice for Harry, providing Ms Sacoolas and British prosecutors could agree.

The Crown Prosecution Service is not downplaying what it says are the "challenges and complexity" of that proposal - but nor is it suggesting that it's hopeless.

"Restorative justice", in which someone accounts for their actions, is a feature of both the British and American criminal justice systems.

We don't know what prosecutors are considering - but Harry Dunn's family are clear: justice and truth must lie at the heart of whatever happens.

The Alexandria District Court in Virginia heard Mr and Mrs Sacoolas' work in intelligence was a "factor" in their departure from the UK, as they left for "security reasons".

Mrs Sacoolas, 44, and her husband were due to give evidence last month but it was postponed.

Mr Seiger said Mr Dunn's parents would now be able to "put this part of the campaign behind them".

He said: "The family's courage and determination to see this through has been incredible."

In December 2020, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised Northamptonshire Police to charge Mrs Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving.

An extradition request for Mrs Sacoolas to be brought to the UK was rejected by the US government.

However, the UK authorities are continuing to press for her to return to the UK to face the criminal charge.

Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, the parents of Harry Dunn, flew out to the US for parts of the civil case

Mr Seiger said the family would now turn its "attention to the criminal case and the long-awaited inquest into Harry's death which will follow the criminal case".

• How the death of a teen became a transatlantic row

• Timeline: Events after Harry Dunn crash death

• Harry Dunn crash extradition refusal 'final'

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss raised Mr Dunn's case with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.

Speaking on the train to Washington where she will meet with Joe Biden, Ms Truss said the resolution of the civil case was "absolutely not" the end of efforts to get Mrs Sacoolas to return to the UK.

"We continue to press for justice for Harry," she said.

Legal representatives for Mrs Sacoolas have been approached for comment.