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The wife of a US diplomat, who left the UK after killing Harry Dunn in a collision near a military base, will admit to causing his death through careless driving, a court has heard.
Anne Sacoolas made an appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video link from the United States on Thursday as the 19-year-old’s extended family watched from the public gallery.
The 45-year-old is accused of causing the death of the teenage motorcyclist following a collision outside a US military base in Northamptonshire in August 2019.
Charged
His attorneys indicated he would plead guilty to the lesser charge of death by reckless driving, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Sacoolas was granted diplomatic immunity on his behalf by the US government following the collision off RAF Croughton, and was able to leave the UK 19 days after the incident.
Wearing a blue suit jacket and spotted scarf, he appeared alongside his attorney Amy Jeffress via video link from the United States for the six-minute hearing.
Harry’s parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, along with Harry’s twin brother Niall, arrived wearing a green tie or green handkerchief in memory of the teenager.
Sacoolas stared straight ahead throughout the hearing.
When asked to confirm his name, she said, “Hi, I’m Anne Elizabeth Sacoolas.”
She went on to confirm her birth date as August 28, 1977.
Her attorney, Ben Cooper, KC, said, “I just want to confirm for the record that there is no indication of a guilty plea in relation to the charge of death by dangerous driving.”
In due course of her there will be a guilty plea to the charge of death by reckless driving.
Statement
Prosecutors will have to decide whether or not that statement is acceptable to them, the court heard.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson, KC, said: “She is charged with causing death by dangerous driving, which is an indictable offense and we therefore invite her case to be sent to Crown Court.”
The crime of causing death by dangerous driving carries the maximum sentence of 14 years.
Referring the case to the Old Bailey, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told the defendant: ‘I hope she followed most of that.
The first thing I have to do is send her case to the crown court.
“I’m going to give you unconditional bail in this case, that means there are no court restrictions on you.”
The chief magistrate told Sacoolas that she would be required to appear in person at the Old Bailey.
He said: ‘That may change because there will be a joint application to allow her to attend by video link as she has today.
‘Do you understand?’
Sacoolas replied: ‘Yes’.
The Dunn family told the PA news agency that they would not comment on the case until the criminal proceedings were concluded.
Sacoolas, whose address was not provided to the court because the chief magistrate was content to provide the address of her solicitor, was granted unconditional bail to appear at the Old Bailey on 27 October.
