Government officials have been urged to act after an American diplomat was smuggled out of the UK by US authorities after he was accused of possessing indecent images of children.
According to reports, the diplomat's London flat was raided by US officials last month and he was taken to an American airbase for transportation. The British police were not informed of this first, it is being reported. American personnel have no powers of arrest in Britain and there was no formal request for the man to be extradited.
Ministers in contact with US embassy
UK ministers are understood to be in contact with the US embassy over the incident, which could further strain relations between London and Washington.
In a letter to Justice Secretary Alex Norris, his Conservative counterpart Nick Timothy said he was concerned that the US actions represented “a cover-up” and the diplomat may have committed offences in the UK. He said: “If this is the case, the diplomat should face trial in an English court.”
Official responses
A Government spokesperson declined to comment due to the ongoing US investigation, but said Britain expects all foreign diplomats to obey the law while in the UK “in the same way we expect all UK diplomats to do so when posted overseas”.
A spokesperson for the US embassy said it was “aware of allegations” about one of their staff, and expected “all personnel to adhere to the highest standards of conduct”. Saying they could not comment on the specifics of the case, the spokesperson added: “We quickly informed UK law enforcement and took swift action, and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners regarding these allegations. The individual in question has been reassigned to the United States in conjunction with an ongoing investigation. The embassy has informed British authorities of the case.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “On Tuesday August 25, US authorities made us aware of an investigation they are conducting into suspected offences in London relating to indecent images of children. We continue to liaise with them regarding this matter.”
Pattern of cases
In his letter, Mr Timothy added that the incident was part of a “concerning pattern” in which US authorities prosecuted cases against American servicemen accused of offences against British civilians while based in the UK.
He referenced the case of an American fighter pilot who avoided a trial under English law for strangling a woman in Cambridge while off-duty. Captain Jacob Wulfson was tried at a court martial on a US airbase and was jailed for six months after being convicted of strangulation. He was acquitted of charges of sexual assault and aggravated sexual contact.
Mr Timothy said he had received reports of other offences that had been dealt with in the same way, writing: “These cases should have been investigated by the English police, and prosecuted in our courts. I ask you to urgently explain what action you are taking to address this, and what will be done to ensure the accused diplomat faces a proper investigation in this country.”
The diplomat’s case has also been likened to that of US State Department employee Anne Sacoolas who caused the death of teenager Harry Dunn in a car crash in 2019. Sacoolas was able to leave the country shortly after causing the fatal collision after the US asserted diplomatic immunity on her behalf. She eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at a virtual High Court hearing in December 2022 and was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for a year.
