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Harry Dunn's parents reject Trump offer to meet suspect at White House | Harry Dunn's parents reject Trump offer to meet suspect at White House |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Harry Dunn's parents rejected a "bombshell" offer from Donald Trump to meet the woman accused of involvement in their son's fatal crash. | |
Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn said they felt "a little ambushed" when the president revealed Anne Sacoolas was in the next room at the White House. | |
Mrs Sacoolas returned to the United States under diplomatic immunity days after the crash which killed Harry, 19. | |
Harry's parents said they wanted to meet Mrs Sacoolas, 42, in the UK. | |
Mr Dunn said a White House official told them she would not be returning to the UK, but Mr Trump said he would "try to push this from a different angle". | Mr Dunn said a White House official told them she would not be returning to the UK, but Mr Trump said he would "try to push this from a different angle". |
Harry Dunn died on 27 August when his motorcycle crashed with a Volvo near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. | |
'Not prepared' | |
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. | |
Tim Dunn said: "We want to meet Anne Sacoolas but we want to do it in the UK so the police can interview her. | |
"We didn't want to be railroaded into, not a circus as such, but into a meeting we weren't prepared for." | "We didn't want to be railroaded into, not a circus as such, but into a meeting we weren't prepared for." |
Ms Charles said they were "a bit shocked", adding: "The bombshell was dropped soon after we walked in the room that Anne Sacoolas was in the building, and was willing to meet with us. | Ms Charles said they were "a bit shocked", adding: "The bombshell was dropped soon after we walked in the room that Anne Sacoolas was in the building, and was willing to meet with us. |
"I don't think it would be appropriate to meet her without therapists or mediators in the room." | "I don't think it would be appropriate to meet her without therapists or mediators in the room." |
Family spokesman Radd Seiger described the White House meeting as "absolutely extraordinary" and "unprecedented". | Family spokesman Radd Seiger described the White House meeting as "absolutely extraordinary" and "unprecedented". |
But he said US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien told the family during the meeting that Mrs Sacoolas "was never coming back" to the UK. | |
Ms Charles said she had told Mr Trump during the White House meeting: "If it was your son you would be doing the same as us." | |
She added: "He actually gripped my hand a little bit tighter and said 'yes I would be'. And that's when he said he would try and look at this from a different angle. | She added: "He actually gripped my hand a little bit tighter and said 'yes I would be'. And that's when he said he would try and look at this from a different angle. |
"I can only hope that he was sincere enough to consider doing that for us. | "I can only hope that he was sincere enough to consider doing that for us. |
"He's the one in control here, but we're the ones in control of our situation as much as we can be - we still want justice for Harry and we will take it as far as we possibly can to ensure that that's done. | "He's the one in control here, but we're the ones in control of our situation as much as we can be - we still want justice for Harry and we will take it as far as we possibly can to ensure that that's done. |
"We do feel that we have done as much as we can at the moment." | "We do feel that we have done as much as we can at the moment." |
Ms Charles later told ITV's Good Morning Britain the family would "be forever disappointed, forever disgusted in both the UK and US governments" if Mrs Sacoolas did not return. | Ms Charles later told ITV's Good Morning Britain the family would "be forever disappointed, forever disgusted in both the UK and US governments" if Mrs Sacoolas did not return. |
Mr Dunn said the trip to the White House "didn't feel like a stunt". | Mr Dunn said the trip to the White House "didn't feel like a stunt". |
"I think the president was very graceful and spoke very well to us," he said. | "I think the president was very graceful and spoke very well to us," he said. |
"I genuinely do think he will look to resolve this in a way that will help us." | "I genuinely do think he will look to resolve this in a way that will help us." |
Over the weekend, Mrs Sacoolas broke her silence over Mr Dunn's death in a letter via her lawyers. | Over the weekend, Mrs Sacoolas broke her silence over Mr Dunn's death in a letter via her lawyers. |
In it she said she wanted to meet his parents "so that she can express her deepest sympathies and apologies for this tragic accident". | In it she said she wanted to meet his parents "so that she can express her deepest sympathies and apologies for this tragic accident". |
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. | 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. |