Overview

• An independent review commissioned by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet found that officers prioritised Sacoolas’s welfare over arrest at the collision site, breaching the Police and Criminal Evidence Act necessity test.
• Anne Sacoolas was allowed to return to the US under diplomatic immunity 19 days after killing 19-year-old Harry Dunn in August 2019 without ever being detained.
• The report heavily criticised former chief constable Nick Adderley for making erroneous public statements on immunity that led the Foreign Office to intervene and eroded the family’s confidence.
• Reviewers warned of a force culture reluctant to arrest suspects in serious road collisions, which could undermine evidence gathering and case outcomes.
• Assistant Chief Constable Emma James apologised to the Dunn family and pledged to implement all 38 recommendations to overhaul serious collision procedures and improve documentation.