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The High Court has given judgment in a judicial review arising out of the death of Harry Dunn.

Mr Dunn died on 27 August 2019, after his motorcycle was struck by a car driven by Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a member of the staff of the US Embassy’s annex at RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. The US stated that Mrs Sacoolas enjoyed diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and she left the UK on 15 September 2019.

In these judicial review proceedings, Mr Dunn’s parents argued that the Secretary of State was wrong to conclude that (as the US stated) Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity. They also contended that the Secretary of State unlawfully confirmed and/or advised the Police that Mrs Sacoolas enjoyed diplomatic immunity, and/or obstructed the Police investigation of Mr Dunn’s death. Finally, Mr Dunn’s parents contended that the Secretary of State breached Article 2 of the ECHR.

The High Court (Flaux LJ and Saini J) dismissed the claim on all grounds.

Sir James Eadie QC, Jason Pobjoy and George Molyneaux acted for the Secretary of State.

A copy of the judgment is available here.

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