Harry Dunn’s parents

[Osc]

Am I the only one who thinks they are being terribly manipulated? At least they had the good sense not to fall for Trump’s Jeremy Kyle style photo op.

[Workingman]

Manipulated?

In some ways, yes, but I also think that they are wise to it and could possibly use it to their advantage. It's a risky strategy though, IMO.

Personally I think that they should have stayed in the UK and put pressure on Ms Socoolas from here. Mr Dunn was clear on the news yesterday that it was an accident, that Ms Socoolas did not mean to kill his son, it was an unintended mistake on her part, he just wants her to admit that officially so that there can be closure.

It's actually not too much to ask.

[cromwell]

I don't really know if they are being manipulated.
They have suffered the worst pain a parent can; losing a child. Nothing can make that better. I don't understand why they are in America, but then I haven't gone through what they have.
It was an accident. They must have some bitterness against the person who caused their son's death, it would be strange if they didn't. But I don't know if doing what they are doing will make things any better for them.

[meriad]

he just wants her to admit that officially so that there can be closure. It's actually not too much to ask.

No, that's not much to ask for at all, and they are better people than I am - I'd be asking for some justice for my son.

Nothing will ever bring him back but I do think steps should be taken to ensure she is never allowed into the position of doing that to someone else again. Just how she can live with herself is beyond me. And it also shows up some serious flaws with diplomatic immunity - it is nothing but a 'get out of jail free' card for some. Surely the responsible government should then take necessary action?

[Suff]

I wasn't going to get into this because my view is 200% in opposition to the entire body of noise around this whole thing.

But since the question has been raised about diplomatic immunity..

I'm pretty sure that the family of WPC Yvonne fletcher would like some closure over the brutal murder of their daughter.

Why can't they have that closure?

Because we, the UK made a commitment. That commitment protects our diplomats and the families of our diplomats all over the world. Some of those diplomats have a job as spies in some very unpleasant countries and often their families go with them.

Why has nothing been written about Yvonne Fletcher in this? It is clearly relevant. What is all this doing to her family? Do the press even care?

So every time I see this in the headlines I read "we don't care about the lives of our diplomats and their families".

Why did she leave?

Because the US has become very aware that the UK no longer believes that it must honour its commitments when times are hard.

Something the UK has had one of the best reputations in the world for.

That reputation becomes more tarnished with every single word written about it.

Why will she never return?

Because we, the UK, are no longer trustworthy.

If you do not believe that countries we have diplomats in see families of our diplomats as fair game in statecraft, think again!

Is it too much to ask? For the (hundreds), of families of our diplomats around the world; YES it is.

I know this is not a popular viewpoint, but somebody has to stand up for those who have no voice but will take all of the risk from this vedetta.

For what? An apology?

And, please, don't say "if it were a child of yours", because everyone who didn't really know me thought I would change my mind about crime when my son was sentenced to prison. They were shocked when neither of us, me or him, changed our views on that.

I'm not going to argue about this, for me it is black and white, there are no shades of grey and no rainbow. We either live up to our commitments and protect our diplomats and their families; or we do not.

Does that come with a cost? Yes it does. Is it worth the very occasional cost? I happen to believe it is.

[TheOstrich]

No, that's not much to ask for at all, and they are better people than I am - I'd be asking for some justice for my son.

Nothing will ever bring him back but I do think steps should be taken to ensure she is never allowed into the position of doing that to someone else again. Just how she can live with herself is beyond me. And it also shows up some serious flaws with diplomatic immunity - it is nothing but a 'get out of jail free' card for some. Surely the responsible government should then take necessary action?

I'm completely with Meriad on this. As she is now no longer under diplomatic immunity, we should seek her extradition, and if the Americans will not comply, then we formally rip up that existing UK-USA extradition treaty which, as we all know, is completely biased in their favour. And we should put out an International Arrest Warrant on Saccoolis to ensure she never leaves the United States again.

[meriad]

Suff, I am not sure one can even compare the two... Harry Dunn was an victim of a motor car accident on a country road where Ms Socoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road - ie breaking regular law. Yvonne fletcher was shot in the line of duty monitoring a protest. Neither death shouldn't have happened but in this case Harry Dunn is a civilian accidentally killed by another civilian - ie no political agenda (not that that makes it any better for the families left behind).

Letting Ms Socoolas "get away with it" is tantamount to giving anyone with diplomatic ties the freedom to do whatever they want with scant regard for their consequences. Even diplomats need to abide by the laws of the country they live in

[Workingman]

Anne Sacoolas had only been in the UK for three weeks when the accident happened, hardly any time to become familiar with our roads. She was driving a Volvo SUV but it is unclear whether it was a right or left-hand drive - that really is relevant.

She turned out of the base on to what was, for her, the correct side of the road, the right hand lane. Everything else follows on from that one simple mistake and she will never forget nor forgive herself. What happened was an accident in the truest sense of the word. It might actually be of help to her mental state if she came back and admitted her mistake officially and on the record. I wish I could persuade her of that.

I did two tours with the RAF in Germany where they, like the Americans, also drive on the 'wrong' side of the road. Nearly everyone bought right-hand drive cars with a view to bringing them home - a little bit of the UK on wheels. I know, from first hand experience, how easy it is to forget to go 'native' when leaving camp. It only takes a split second or a minor distraction to be driving off on the wrong side of the road. I wonder how many people have hired cars or bikes when on holiday and been lucky to get away with it?

[Osc]

What happened was an accident in the truest sense of the word. It might actually be of help to her mental state if she came back and admitted her mistake officially and on the record. I wish I could persuade her of that.

I would very much agree with that. Of course the Americans made sure to get her out of the country, and now the whole thing has blown up in such a way that even if she ever does return, it will all be so much worse.

[Kaz]

he just wants her to admit that officially so that there can be closure. It's actually not too much to ask.

No, that's not much to ask for at all, and they are better people than I am - I'd be asking for some justice for my son.

Nothing will ever bring him back but I do think steps should be taken to ensure she is never allowed into the position of doing that to someone else again. Just how she can live with herself is beyond me. And it also shows up some serious flaws with diplomatic immunity - it is nothing but a 'get out of jail free' card for some. Surely the responsible government should then take necessary action?

Exactly this!