Latest news with #RaddSeiger
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Dunn family raise concerns Foreign Office will try to ‘hide' final review report
The family of Harry Dunn have expressed concerns the Foreign Office will attempt to 'hide' the final report from a parliamentary review into the case following an eleventh hour invite to meet the Foreign Secretary. Harry's mother, Charlotte Charles, as well as other family members, are due to meet David Lammy on Wednesday following an invitation for him to 'hear the family's views and concerns'. The review is not set to scrutinise the role or actions of the US government, but will examine the support the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) offered the Dunn family after the teenager was killed by a former US state department employee in a road crash in 2019. The Dunn family spokesman Radd Seiger told FCDO officials they were concerned there was 'no explicit provision for the publication of the final report' in the review's proposed terms of reference. His words prompted an invitation to meet with Mr Lammy on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the review's official announcement, which is expected on Thursday. Mrs Charles said she was 'apprehensive' ahead of the meeting, adding: 'I won't accept anything less than a full, open and transparent process.' Mr Seiger told the PA news agency the family will 'have no part in any process that lacks transparency'. Anne Sacoolas, the American driver who killed Harry, had diplomatic immunity asserted on her behalf following the incident outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire before a senior Foreign Office official said the US government should 'feel able' to put her on the next flight home. Ahead of the meeting, Mr Seiger told PA: 'We are grateful to the Foreign Secretary for making time to meet us today. 'That said, it is not lost on us that the only reason we appear to have been called in is because we asked for only one basic and reasonable assurance – that Anne Owers' report will be published. 'That request appears to have put the cat amongst the pigeons ahead of the government formally announcing the inquiry tomorrow. 'The fact that it has prompted such an urgent response gives us real concern that publication of the report may not have been the Government's intention.' Mr Seiger continued: 'Although we will not get ahead of ourselves, if that proves to be the case, I can say categorically on behalf of the family that we will have no part in any process that lacks transparency. 'It would defeat the entire purpose of the inquiry and would represent a betrayal of everything Harry stood for and the brave fight the family put up on his behalf. 'We have always been grateful for David Lammy's support over the years. 'It must follow that Anne Owers' report, the first and only detailed look into those failures must be published. Without that, we cannot move forward. 'We owe it to Harry, to our public institutions, and to every future family who might find themselves in a similar nightmare.' Mrs Charles said any attempt by the Government to 'hide' the final report 'fills me with dread'. She told PA: 'I feel incredibly apprehensive going into this meeting. 'After everything we've been through, the idea that the Government might try to hide Anne Owers' report fills me with dread. 'We have never wanted anything more than the full truth and for lessons to be learned, not just for Harry, but to stop any other family from suffering like we have. 'I won't accept anything less than a full, open and transparent process.' In a statement, the FCDO said: 'The Foreign Secretary has always made clear his commitment to support Harry Dunn's family and learn lessons from this tragedy. 'It is right we brief the family first on any developments and will announce further details in due course.'
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Harry Dunn's family want inquiry report published
The family of teenage crash victim Harry Dunn said they want the findings from an inquiry into how the Foreign Office (FO) handled the case to be made public. The inquiry will examine the FO's support to the Dunns after the 19-year-old's bike was hit by a car being driven on the wrong side of the road by Anne Sacoolas at RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in left the country after the incident, with the US claiming she had diplomatic immunity from mother, Charlotte Charles, said: "I won't accept anything less than a full, open and transparent process." The inquiry is expected to be announced on Thursday and will be chaired by former chief inspector of prisons Dame Anne Owers. Mrs Charles and other relatives were invited to meet with Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Wednesday for him to "hear the family's views".The invitation came after Radd Seiger, the family's spokesperson, highlighted there was no mention of the inquiry's report being published in the proposed terms of reference. Mr Seiger said the family will "have no part in any process that lacks transparency". Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity asserted on her behalf following the incident, before a senior Foreign Office official said the US government should "feel able" to put her on the next flight home. "It is not lost on us that the only reason we appear to have been called in [to meet Lammy] is because we asked for only one basic and reasonable assurance - that Anne Owers' report will be published," said Mr Seiger."The fact that it has prompted such an urgent response gives us real concern that publication of the report may not have been the government's intention," he added. He said the family did not want to "get ahead" of themselves and would only support a transparent process. They have always been "grateful" for Lammy's support over the years, he said. "It must follow that Anne Owers' report, the first and only detailed look into those failures must be published. Without that, we cannot move forward."We owe it to Harry, to our public institutions, and to every future family who might find themselves in a similar nightmare," he added. "After everything we've been through, the idea that the government might try to hide Anne Owers' report fills me with dread," Mrs Charles said."We have never wanted anything more than the full truth and for lessons to be learned, not just for Harry, but to stop any other family from suffering like we have."In a statement, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "The foreign secretary has always made clear his commitment to support Harry Dunn's family and learn lessons from this tragedy."It is right we brief the family first on any developments and will announce further details in due course." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Sky News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Harry Dunn's family say enquiry into Foreign Office's treatment of them will start within three weeks
The family of Harry Dunn have said the government is about to start an enquiry into how the Foreign Office treated them after the 19-year-old was killed. Harry, who was riding a motorbike, died after a head-on collision in 2019 with a car driven by Anne Sacoolas, who was exiting the American intelligence base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. Sacoolas left the UK 19 days after the incident, as the US government had asserted diplomatic immunity on her behalf, claiming she was the wife of a diplomat. She was later revealed to be a US spy. The Dunn family began a long fight for justice, which eventually saw the former spy receive a suspended sentence after she pleaded guilty to causing Harry's death by dangerous driving. She was sentenced in an "unprecedented" case at the Old Bailey - but did not attend the hearing in person after American officials stepped in. Instead, she was sentenced via a video link from her lawyer's office in Washington. Speaking to Sky News, a lawyer who has advised the family since Harry's death has now said an enquiry promised by David Lammy when Labour got into power will begin "within three weeks". Radd Seiger told The News Hour with Mark Austin that the enquiry will be chaired by Dame Anne Owers, who is "going to do a rapid piece of work". "We just want to leave a legacy for Harry, so what his family went through never happens again," he said. Harry's mother, Charlotte Charles, added: "The failings need to be out there for all to see. "Certainly for us to learn about and for everyone else to learn about, so we can make sure in future, families like us do not get treated the way that we were treated." It is understood that the investigation, which is expected to last three months, will not include scrutiny of the role or actions of the US government. The enquiry is separate from a recent report on how Northamptonshire Police proceeded in the case. The force last week apologised and admitted failures in their handling of the investigation, after the report found officers prioritised the suspect's welfare. 2:48 Assistant Chief Constable Emma James apologised "for what is now clear was a failure on our part to do the very best for the victim in this case, Harry, and his family who fought tirelessly in the years that followed to achieve justice for him". She added in a statement: "The picture which emerges is one of a force which has failed the family on a number of fronts". The Dunn family have filed a complaint
Western Telegraph
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Harry Dunn review ‘will not scrutinise actions of US government'
The 19-year-old's family met with senior officials at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on Wednesday where they were told the probe will be led by former chief inspector of prisons Dame Anne Owers. The PA news agency understands the review is set to examine the support the FCDO offered the Dunn family after Harry was killed by a former US state department employee in a road crash in 2019. I think overall the family are feeling that we are going to leave a legacy for Harry, which is that no family should ever be treated the way this family were by their own government Family spokesman Radd Seiger The American driver, Anne Sacoolas, had diplomatic immunity asserted on her behalf following the incident outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire before a senior Foreign Office official said they should 'feel able' to put her on the next flight home. PA understands the probe, which is scheduled to last for three months, is also set to look at the actions taken by the Foreign Office in the months after Harry's death and the nature of internal decision-making. The review will also look to identify lessons to be learned for the FCDO for comparable future situations. The involvement of the US government, which asserted the diplomatic immunity on behalf of Ms Sacoolas, will not be examined – alongside any issues covered in previous court hearings. Dame Anne could look to request interviews with relevant staff within the Foreign Office at the time of Harry's death, as well as documents from within the FCDO. Following the meeting, family spokesman Radd Seiger told PA: 'I think overall the family are feeling that we are going to leave a legacy for Harry, which is that no family should ever be treated the way this family were by their own government. 'The American government really were stepping on their rights; nobody really from the government stepped forward to help them. 'Dame Anne is going to look into all of this and make a series of recommendations to David Lammy that should this ever happen again, whether here or abroad, that they will get the support and representation of the Government that they need. So we are very, very pleased. Why did they kick us down the road, why did they try to shove Harry's life under the carpet? Charlotte Charles, Harry's mother 'The reason we got justice for Harry in the end was no thanks to the United Kingdom government; it was thanks to the British public and the media on both sides of the Atlantic, who spoke truth to power and made sure that we held them to account.' Harry's mother Charlotte Charles said the current Government was more 'welcoming' than the previous Conservative one. She said: 'I think this Government is totally different to what we were dealing with before: they were calmer, they seemed to want to engage with us, they are welcoming us to the Foreign Office. 'We aren't being shoved down the road and they seem to have a lot of patience and time for us to get the answers that we need. 'The previous government's meetings were very fraught. I think they had us in their offices under duress almost. 'I think they almost felt like they had to do it and we could feel that in the room. But since the Labour Government got in, they've been more open with us and more welcoming.' She said she hoped the inquiry would 'get to the reason as to why we were treated so poorly'. Ms Charles added: 'Why did they kick us down the road, why did they try to shove Harry's life under the carpet? 'What was more important than our son's life? They were rude, they were brutal with us. They were not engaging with us at all. 'They did everything they possibly could to try to make us go away and give up. The answers we need now are why. What were they so scared of?'
Sky News
11-05-2025
- Health
- Sky News
NHS trust accused of 'covering up' concerns about suspended surgeon should be criminally investigated, say families of patients
The families of some patients who were treated by a now suspended surgeon have called for a criminal investigation into an alleged cover up by the NHS trust she worked for. A joint investigation by Sky News and The Sunday Times found the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) may have downplayed previous concerns about Kuldeep Stohr, who was suspended from Addenbrooke's Hospital in January this year. A 2016 report, seen by Sky News and The Sunday Times, identified "technical issues" with multiple surgeries done by Ms Stohr - despite a letter shared between staff at the time saying the trust was satisfied it did not raise any concerns. 3:05 A senior source at the hospital said children were "severely permanently harmed" as a result of Ms Stohr, and "some of the cases are horrendous". They said the damage could have been avoided and told Sky News there was "the impression of a cover-up". Radd Seiger, a lawyer representing a number of children and families treated by Ms Stohr, has now called on Cambridgeshire Police to open a criminal investigation into hospital leaders who investigated the surgeon for allegedly covering up patient safety concerns. He said the investigation should specifically investigate the 2016 external clinical review into Ms Stohr, which the Sky News report highlighted. In response to the Sky News report, Dr Susan Broster, chief medical officer at CUH, said the trust "apologises unreservedly to all the patients and families we have let down". She added that patients who were considered in the 2016 report also form part of a clinical review of the care of 800 patients, which was launched in March. Ms Stohr said: "I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to all my patients. I am cooperating fully with the trust investigation, and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time." What the 2016 report said The doctor who authored the 2016 report wrote he had "some anxieties about the technical aspects" of one patient's operation, and highlighted "technical error[s]" on several others. It added Ms Stohr did not always order CT scans after operations took place. The report also highlighted wider issues within the hospital, including a "divided department of paediatric orthopaedics" in which "discussion of difficult cases and mutual support does not exist". Ms Stohr was suspended at the beginning of this year after a 2025 report highlighted similar concerns, including around post-op imaging. It also raised concerns that Ms Stohr "frequently operates on her own", or with more junior members of staff. A Cambridgeshire police spokesperson said: "We received an online report in relation to this matter today and are now in the process of reviewing the information sent to us." The CUH said it has set up a dedicated Patient and Family Liaison Team, and encourages anyone concerned about their care to call the dedicated helpline on 0808 175 6331 or email .
