Harry Dunn: Police interview diplomat’s wife who fled under diplomatic immunity as family demands chief constable quit
British police have conducted an interview with the wife of an American diplomat suspected of involvement in a crash that killed Harry Dunn.
Northamptonshire Police passed details of their interview with Anne Sacoolas, 42, to the Crown Prosecution Service, it is understood.
Ms Sacoolas had returned to the US under diplomatic immunity and has refused to return to the UK.
Superintendent Sarah Johnson said: “We can confirm that we have completed an interview of the suspect in connection with the death of Harry Dunn, the details of which will be provided to the CPS for consideration alongside the rest of the evidential file already submitted.”
It comes as Mr Dunn's family called for the resignation of Northamptonshire Police’s chief constable after an “outrageous and absurd” tweet.
Chief Constable Nick Adderley commented on potential legal action against Ms Sacoolas and Donald Trump’s administration by tweeting: “How sad but how predictable.”
Mr Adderley, who has since deleted the post, said he “meant no offence” and apologised if it had been “misconstrued or misinterpreted”.
Northamptonshire Fire, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Stephen Mold has said he has spoken to Mr Adderley about keeping force communication “professional and sensitive at all times”.
Ms Sacoolas is believed to have been driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit 19-year-old Mr Dunn’s motorbike outside RAF Croughton.
In a statement, the spokesman for Mr Dunn’s family, Radd Seiger, said: “We call on (Chief Constable Nick Adderley) to resign immediately following his disgraceful now deleted tweet on Tuesday.
“Mr Adderley has displayed a staggering degree of unprofessionalism with this tweet such that he no longer commands the confidence of the family.
“This is simply the straw that broke the camel’s back, coming as it does on the back of apparent misconduct and/or incompetence in the handling of this investigation and their egregious breaches of the victims code in not supporting the family or keeping them informed.
“It is with a heavy heart that Harry Dunn’s family feel that Mr Adderley should now do the honourable thing and resign.”
The family have already announced their intentions to refer Northamptonshire Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over their handling of the investigation.
Continuing his statement on Twitter, Mr Seiger made reference to how the family had been “abandoned” by authorities.
He continued: “The attempted explanations lack credibility and do not alter our view that Mr Adderley should go and it is the family’s hope that any successor will approach us with a view to building bridges so that we can move forward together in the letter and spirit of the victims code.
“A Chief Constable has overall responsibility for leading the Force, creating a vision and setting direction and culture that builds public and organisational confidence and trust, and enables the delivery of a professional, effective and efficient policing service.
“By expressing his personal negative views on what are totally normal legal steps that any family would take in these circumstances, Mr Adderley has shown that he is not fit to fulfil this role – the comment, coming as it does on the back of the way in which the family have been abandoned by the authorities.
“The family remain laser focused on getting #Justice4Harry despite this unfortunate episode.”
In a statement issued by Mr Adderley, he said: “The tweet was in reference to the profound sadness and loss of Harry Dunn, that the spokesperson for the family has been absolutely clear on the next steps in fighting for justice for Harry and that the only recourse for justice that they feel that they have available to them at the moment is through the US civil court system.
“I deleted it with a view to re-writing it with more context but was called away to deal with something else.
“I meant no offence by my tweet and apologise if it has been in anyway misconstrued or misinterpreted.
“This is an extremely tragic case in which a young man has lost his life and Northamptonshire Police is committed to carrying out a thorough and comprehensive investigation with a view to submitting a completed file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service shortly.”
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