US rejects extradition request for Anne Sacoolas charged with causing death of Harry Dunn

23 January 2020, 22:46 | Updated: 23 January 2020, 23:32

The US has rejected the extradition request for Anne Sacoolas, who was charged with causing the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn by dangerous driving.

Family spokesman Radd Seiger said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo turned down the request on Thursday.

Mr Seiger said the family were taking time to process the news and would be reacting fully on Friday morning.

He said their constituency MP Andrea Leadsom informed them of the news.

The spokesman also told LBC the family were given "no reason" for the decision but that they "always knew this day was coming."

Mr Seiger added: "This doesn't change a single thing from their perspective. Anne Sacoolas is coming back, I promise you that."

Ms Leadsom is due to meet the US ambassador Woody Johnson in London on Friday to discuss the case.

In response to the extradition request being rejected, a spokeswoman for the Home Office said: "We are disappointed in this decision which appears to be a denial of justice. We are urgently considering our options."

Mr Dunn, 19, was killed when his motorbike was involved in a head-on collision outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August.

The crash allegedly involved Mrs Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat, who was charged with causing his death by dangerous driving by the Crown Prosecution Service in December.

The 42-year-old was granted diplomatic immunity following the crash and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.

Boris Johnson previously said the chance of the suspect ever returning to the UK was very low.

Mrs Sacoolas has said she is “terribly sorry” about the incident and that she had “no time to react” when she saw Mr Dunn’s motorbike.