Magna-Carta
Senior Member
- Location
- UK
There is a lot more to this than most people realise!
Harry Dunn was killed in a vehicle head on collision with Anne Socoolas. Anne was driving on the wrong side of the road for 400 yards -- she had diplomatic immunity. If something like happened again today, the US Government WOULD HAVE TO waive immunity. She would have to stay in the UK during an investigation, and face any charges. Here’s why. I hope some of you manage to get through it.
The husband of Anne Sacoolas, Jonathan Sacoolas, was described as a member of the “US government’s Administrative and Technical Staff” (A&T Staff) based at RAF Croughton. (A Royal Air Force base used by the Americans as a “United States Air Force communications station”).
In 2019, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office were notified by the US Embassy of Jonathan Sacoolas’s appointment, a notification as required by the “Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”. Anne Sacoolas was simply listed as his dependant, along with the couple’s three children. No mention was listed of her working for the US Government in any way.
Way back in 1993, the US Embassy requested that "US Personal" at RAF Croughton be added to the “Diplomatic A&T Staff lists”. This would grant the US personal diplomatic immunity – which they previously didn’t have. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office were concerned by the request, as more US personal/staff on the diplomatic list would increase the risk of such staff becoming involved in incidents (eg. drunk driving, speeding, parking violations etc), with immunity from prosecution. This type of thing was already happening. Other people have been killed on UK roads by US personal, some of which were drunk.
In 1995 the British agreed to the American's request on the condition that the, "...the US government agrees to waive the immunity from criminal jurisdiction in respect of acts performed outside the course of thair duties of staff at Croughton who have only A&T status. The Americans agreed that advance waiver would be given.
A written legal agreement was drawn up. Not realised at the time, there was an anomaly in it. In that this waiver didn’t extend to the dependencies of the US personal. (people like Anne Sacoolas)
So here’s the thing, if Jonathan Sacoolas (US Personnel) had killed Harry Dunn in the vehicle collision, his immunity from prosecution would have been waivered by the American Government, but not his wife, Anne Sacoolas. Her diplomatic immunity remained in place, and she left the UK. This oversight / loophole was closed in July 2020, and agreed by the US.
Harry Dunn was killed in a vehicle head on collision with Anne Socoolas. Anne was driving on the wrong side of the road for 400 yards -- she had diplomatic immunity. If something like happened again today, the US Government WOULD HAVE TO waive immunity. She would have to stay in the UK during an investigation, and face any charges. Here’s why. I hope some of you manage to get through it.
The husband of Anne Sacoolas, Jonathan Sacoolas, was described as a member of the “US government’s Administrative and Technical Staff” (A&T Staff) based at RAF Croughton. (A Royal Air Force base used by the Americans as a “United States Air Force communications station”).
In 2019, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office were notified by the US Embassy of Jonathan Sacoolas’s appointment, a notification as required by the “Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”. Anne Sacoolas was simply listed as his dependant, along with the couple’s three children. No mention was listed of her working for the US Government in any way.
Way back in 1993, the US Embassy requested that "US Personal" at RAF Croughton be added to the “Diplomatic A&T Staff lists”. This would grant the US personal diplomatic immunity – which they previously didn’t have. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office were concerned by the request, as more US personal/staff on the diplomatic list would increase the risk of such staff becoming involved in incidents (eg. drunk driving, speeding, parking violations etc), with immunity from prosecution. This type of thing was already happening. Other people have been killed on UK roads by US personal, some of which were drunk.
In 1995 the British agreed to the American's request on the condition that the, "...the US government agrees to waive the immunity from criminal jurisdiction in respect of acts performed outside the course of thair duties of staff at Croughton who have only A&T status. The Americans agreed that advance waiver would be given.
A written legal agreement was drawn up. Not realised at the time, there was an anomaly in it. In that this waiver didn’t extend to the dependencies of the US personal. (people like Anne Sacoolas)
So here’s the thing, if Jonathan Sacoolas (US Personnel) had killed Harry Dunn in the vehicle collision, his immunity from prosecution would have been waivered by the American Government, but not his wife, Anne Sacoolas. Her diplomatic immunity remained in place, and she left the UK. This oversight / loophole was closed in July 2020, and agreed by the US.
