Harry Dunn crash: Anne Sacoolas ‘disappointed’ by White House rejection

Media captionHarry Dunn’s parents say they were told by the president he would “try to push this from a different angle”

The US woman accused of involvement in the crash which killed Harry Dunn has said she was “disappointed” not to have met his family.

Mr Dunn’s parents rejected a “bombshell” offer from Donald Trump to meet Anne Sacoolas at the White House on Tuesday.

Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn felt “a little ambushed” when the president revealed she was in the next room.

Mr Trump described his meeting with the couple as “beautiful” but “very sad”.

A statement issued by Mrs Sacoolas’ lawyer Amy Jeffress said: “We are trying to handle the matter privately and look forward to hearing from the family or their representatives.

“Anne accepted the invitation to the White House with the hope that the family would meet and was disappointed.”

Harry’s parents said they wanted to meet Mrs Sacoolas, 42, in the UK.

She returned to the United States under diplomatic immunity days after the crash which killed Harry, 19.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption President Donald Trump described his meeting with the parents of Harry Dunn as “beautiful”

Speaking to journalists about the meeting, President Trump said: “My meeting with the family, it was beautiful in a certain way.”

Referring to Mrs Sacoolas he said: “[Mrs Sacoolas] was in the room right out there, we met right here.

“I offered to bring the person in question in, and they weren’t ready for it.

“I spoke with [Prime Minister] Boris [Johnson], he asked me if I’d do that, and I did it.

“Unfortunately they wanted to meet with her and unfortunately when we had everybody together they decided not to meet.

“Perhaps they had lawyers involved by that time, I don’t know exactly.”

‘Roads are opposite’

Despite the couple’s refusal, Mr Trump described their encounter as “a very good meeting” and said the Dunns were “very nice people”.

Referring to the crash, he said: “I believe it [the car] was going down the wrong way and that happens in Europe – you go to Europe and the roads are opposite and it’s very tough if you’re from the United States.

“That decision to make a right turn when you’re supposed to make a left turn when the roads are opposite and she said that’s what happened.

“It happens to a lot of people, by the way – but she said that’s what happened.”

Image copyright Justice4Harry19

Image caption Harry died in hospital after his motorbike was involved in a crash with a Volvo

Harry Dunn died on 27 August when his motorcycle crashed with a Volvo near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire.

Mrs Sacoolas – who is reportedly married to a US intelligence official stationed at the base – was interviewed by police but then returned to the United States after claiming diplomatic immunity.

That status has since been cast into doubt by the Foreign Office and Mr Dunn’s family want Mrs Sacoolas to return to the UK.

Family spokesman Radd Seiger said US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien told the family during the meeting that Mrs Sacoolas “was never coming back” to the UK.

Mrs Sacoolas was said to be covered by diplomatic immunity as the spouse of a US intelligence official, though that protection is now in dispute.

Northamptonshire Police said it will be submitting a file to the Crown Prosecution Service “very soon” on the fatal collision that led to the Mr Dunn’s death.