Harry Dunn's mum tells Government to stand up to US 'bullies' after diplomatic row

Harry Dunn's mother has urged the Government to stand up to the 'bullies' in the United States after reports of crisis talks between the two countries over the scandal.

Meanwhile, the Northamptonshire campaigners have made a fresh call for an independent, judge-led inquiry into the British authorities' handling of the case.

The UK has extradited two fugitives to the US but the Americans refuse to send back Anne Sacoolas, the woman accused of killing Harry, 19, in August last year.

Charlotte Charles told The Sunday Times: "We don’t want any problems with the US government.

"But we can see that the US government is behaving like a bully. It will be a road to ruin if we back down as a country now and we have to stand up to them.

“I agree with calls that no one should be extradited until the US government agrees to play by the rules, starting with sending Anne Sacoolas back. She did not have diplomatic immunity.”

Harry died after his motorcycle was involved in a collision with Sacoolas' Volvo, which she has admitted was on the wrong side of the road, near Croughton on August 27, 2019.

The American driver initially co-operated with police but then told officers she had diplomatic immunity before flying back to the United States a few weeks later.

She was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in December but the US State Department rejected an extradition request in January.

The Interpol 'red notice' supposedly issued for Sacoolas, meaning she will be arrested if she leaves the US, has sparked a fresh row between Whitehall and the White House.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill held talks after US officials went berserk, The Mail on Sunday reports.

The national paper claims the Interpol intervention was actually a 'red diffusion notice’ that was only sent to certain countries to arrest Sacoolas.

Northamptonshire Police has denied telling Harry's family about it after reportedly being blamed by the Government for revealing the plan to make the former CIA officer a wanted criminal internationally.

The ministers discussed ending the legal loophole that allowed Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity - that spouses of officials at RAF Croughton are not explicitly mentioned in the waiver.

Harry's family believe letting Sacoolas leave the country constituted misconduct in public office by the Government by interfering with the police investigation.

"Our only wish now apart from ensuring Mrs Sacoolas faces justice, is that this should never happen to another family again.

"Following our experience, this government clearly cannot be trusted to look after us the people. As a nation, we have to get back to a more decent way of doing things.

"This is not the sort of society we should be where our elected officials think it’s ok to kick those in most need of help."

The Foreign Office has insisted the Government has acted properly and lawfully in relation to the case and told the US that refusing the extradite Sacoolas is a denial of justice.