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Harry Dunn death: Boris Johnson urges suspect Anne Sacoolas to return to UK amid diplomatic spat with US

Boris Johnson is to step up efforts to secure the extradition of an American diplomat to face charges over the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn when US secretary of state Mike Pompeo visits London later this week, Downing Street has said.

Mr Johnson raised the case of Anne Sacoolas with Donald Trump in a phone call on Friday, telling the US president of “the need for the individual involved to return to the UK”.

Mr Pompeo last week ruled out the extradition of the intelligence officer’s wife on the grounds that she held diplomatic immunity at the time of the car crash which killed 19-year-old Harry in Northamptonshire last August.


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He arrives in London on Wednesday for talks with Mr Johnson and foreign secretary Dominic Raab which are likely to be overshadowed not only by the Dunn case, but also by transatlantic differences over the involvement of Chinese tech giant Huawei in the development of the UK’s 5G telecoms network.

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman confirmed that the PM and Mr Raab would be pressing Pompeo to reverse his decision on extradition.

The spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “We believe that this is a denial of justice and it is important that the individual involved returns to the UK.”

Ms Sacoolas was charged with causing death by dangerous driving following the crash outside RAF Croughton. She left the UK shortly after the incident, claiming diplomatic immunity.

Mr Raab is expected to meet the Dunn family on Monday afternoon.

The PM’s spokesman said: “The foreign secretary and prime minister have made it clear to their US counterparts in recent days that we want justice for Harry’s family at that we do believe that the individual involved should return to the UK.

“We set out on Friday that we were urgently looking at all of our options. That work is ongoing. I would expect us to continue to make the point later this week, when Mike Pompeo visits, of the importance of the individual involved returning to the UK.”


Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk

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