In a devastating blow to the family of Harry Dunn and a stark indictment of Northamptonshire Police, a comprehensive independent review has concluded that Anne Sacoolas, the American diplomat responsible for the fatal collision that killed the 19-year-old motorcyclist, "could and should have been arrested" at the scene. The findings, published on June 18, 2025, reveal a series of critical failures by the police force, including prioritizing Sacoolas's welfare over a prompt and effective investigation, delayed communication with Dunn's family, and leadership shortcomings that deeply eroded public trust.
Harry Dunn tragically lost his life on August 27, 2019, when his Kawasaki motorcycle collided with a Volvo XC90 driven by Sacoolas outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. The collision occurred just 30 seconds after Sacoolas had driven out of the US airbase, where she had attended a barbecue with her diplomat husband and their children. Crucially, Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road at the time, a fact she later admitted, saying, "it's all my fault, I was on the wrong side of the road," according to a witness cited in the report.
Despite the gravity of the incident, Northamptonshire Police allowed Sacoolas to leave the scene unarrested, citing her state of shock and a belief that the "necessity test" for arrest was not met under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. The review, commissioned by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet and authored by Karl Whiffen, a former senior officer from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, found this decision to be a profound error. It stated, "A prompt and effective investigation was not considered or articulated," and that the suspect "could and should have been arrested to assist the evidence gathering process." This misjudgment ultimately allowed Sacoolas to flee the UK under diplomatic immunity just 19 days after the crash, a move that devastated the Dunn family and sparked a protracted fight for justice.
Harry's mother, Charlotte Charles, expressed her anguish and disbelief at the police's handling of the case. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said, "Having had 48 hours now to reflect, my anger is as high as it probably was in the beginning. To learn that they [police] prioritised Anne Sacoolas's welfare over my boy, that was dying in that ditch, I'm just bewildered." She further condemned the mishandling of evidence, revealing that Harry's clothing was bundled together with other crash debris, a failure she described as something "no family should ever have to endure." Her anger was particularly directed at former Chief Constable Nick Adderley, who was heavily criticized for making "erroneous statements" about Sacoolas's immunity and for launching personal attacks on the family’s spokesman, Radd Seiger. Adderley was subsequently sacked for gross misconduct in 2024 after it was revealed he had lied about his Royal Navy career.
The review also highlighted a disturbing disparity in the treatment of the two involved parties. While Harry Dunn was subjected to routine drug testing, Sacoolas was not, despite her admission of fault and her employment by a US intelligence agency at the time. The report recommended that Northamptonshire Police adopt mandatory drug wipe screening for suspects involved in fatal and serious collisions to prevent such oversights in the future.
Communication failures compounded the family's distress. Rumors that Sacoolas had fled the country first reached the Dunn family at Harry's funeral, but it was eight days before the police officially confirmed the news. This delay was reportedly at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which, according to the report, did not cooperate fully with the inquiry and later sought to distance itself from the fallout of that decision. The FCDO stated that the Foreign Secretary had met with Harry's family and remained committed to learning lessons from the case's handling under the previous government.
Assistant Chief Constable Emma James, head of Northamptonshire Police’s Protective Services, issued a heartfelt apology to the Dunn family, acknowledging the "clear and significant shortcomings" uncovered by the review. She said, "On behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I want to apologise to Harry's family for what is now clear was a failure on our part to do the very best for the victim in this case." James met with Harry's mother and father privately to present the report's findings and emphasized that many of the review's 38 recommendations had already been implemented to improve police practices, including adopting an "investigative mindset" at serious road crashes and improving evidence recovery protocols.
Beyond the procedural failures, the report shed light on the toxic atmosphere within the police force during the investigation. Former Chief Constable Nick Adderley's conduct was singled out for criticism, particularly his interactions with the media and the Dunn family's representatives. His press conference in October 2019, in which he accused family spokesman Radd Seiger of making "wholly inaccurate" statements, created "numerous issues from a Family Liaison perspective" and hampered efforts to rebuild trust. The report noted that Adderley's leadership "had a direct impact in the trust and confidence of the family in Northamptonshire Police," and his actions rendered almost redundant a new family liaison strategy devised by the senior investigating officer.
Radd Seiger described the review as "astonishing," laying bare "a series of grave errors including an almost total absence of capable leadership." He lamented the failure to arrest Sacoolas as "staggering and so upsetting," emphasizing the fundamental role of police in society and the betrayal felt by the family. Charlotte Charles, who was recently appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours for her outstanding services to road safety, praised the senior officer who showed "genuine care and commitment when others above her fell short." She vowed to ensure the report's recommendations were fully implemented so that "nobody gets treated the way my boy and our family did."
Northamptonshire’s police, fire and crime commissioner, Danielle Stone, also expressed deep regret over the family's experience, stating, "Harry’s family were profoundly let down when they most needed to have trust in Northamptonshire Police. I have apologised to Harry’s family – I am dismayed by how they were treated, and I know that no words can make up for the harm caused." Stone committed to seeking assurances from the current chief constable that the recommendations would be enforced to prevent similar failures in future cases.
Anne Sacoolas pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via video link from Washington at the Old Bailey in December 2022 and received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. However, the family's long battle for justice underscores the profound challenges posed by diplomatic immunity and the complexities of cross-border legal accountability.
This tragic case serves as a sobering reminder of the crucial need for transparency, accountability, and rigorous investigative standards in law enforcement. The failures exposed by this review highlight how trust between the police and the communities they serve can be shattered when justice is perceived as delayed or denied. For Harry Dunn's family, the hope now lies in the full implementation of the report's recommendations and a renewed commitment to ensuring that no other family endures the same heartbreak and injustice.
