Harry Dunn’s parents have rejected the chance to meet the suspect in their son’s crash death after Donald Trump dropped the “bombshell” that she was in the room next door at the White House.
Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn felt “a little ambushed” by the offer made by the US president.
Anne Sacoolas, 42, returned to the United States days after the crash which killed 19-year-old Harry.
Harry’s parents said they wanted to meet Mrs Sacoolas in the UK.
The president said Mrs Sacoolas was in an adjoining room but they refused to see her, saying the conditions were not right.
Mr Trump was sympathetic but did not agree to Mrs Sacoolas’ UK return, Harry’s parents said.
Family spokesman Radd Seiger described the White House meeting as “absolutely extraordinary” and “unprecedented”.
Harry died near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on 27 August when his motorcycle was in a crash with a Volvo.
Mrs Sacoolas – who is reportedly married to a US intelligence official who was stationed at RAF Croughton – was interviewed by police but then returned to the United States after claiming diplomatic immunity.
Ms Charles said after the White House meeting: “When [President Trump] held my hand, I gripped it a lot tighter and I was honest with him and just said… ‘if it was your son you would be doing the same as us’.
“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.
“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.”
Mr Seiger told BBC Breakfast: “After quite sincere and warm condolences [President Trump] got down to business and said he had Mrs Sacoolas in the next room.
“I looked to my side and I saw at least three photographers ready to almost do a press call.”
He insisted the meeting should take place in the UK, in the presence of therapists and mediators, but “certainly now now and certainly not in the White House in front of a bank of photographers”.
“You don’t just throw open the circus doors with the cameras,” he added.
US national security adviser Robert O’Brien told the family during the meeting that Mrs Sacoolas “was never coming back” to the UK, Mr Seiger said.
US national security adviser Robert O’Brien told the family during the meeting that Mrs Sacoolas “was never coming back” to the UK, Mr Seiger said.
Mr Dunn said of turning down the chance to meet Mrs Sacoolas at the White House: “We weren’t ready to meet her – it would have been too rushed.
“It’s not what we wanted – we wanted a meeting with her in the UK.”
But he added that 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 listened to Charlotte very well, she spoke excellently to him and he was very understanding.
“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.
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.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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