How can Ann Sacolas live with her actions?

[GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly]

Fell so dreadfully sorry for Harry Dunn's family. The high court has ruled that Ann Sacolas DID have diplomatic immunity. She did not work at the base. She drove on the wrong side of the road. She caused Harry's death. She has not taken responsibility for her actions. How would she feel if it had been her child killed?

My question was how would Anne Sacoolas feel if the shoe were on the other foot - it was her child that had been killed and the person responsible had left the country?

I imagine she'd feel very much the same emotions as Harry Dunn's family are feeling now, and have been feeling since the accident.

It's a question that doesn't need answering really.

My thoughts are with Harry's family and friends.

I do not know how Ann Sacolas can live with herself.
She killed another human being and ran away.
She has to live with that day in day out.

She behaved in a shocking way abated by the US government.
If this was the other way round all hell would have broke out.
I have little sympathy for her to be honest.

I fully empathise with the desire for justice... I’m sure I’d feel cheated under those circumstances. There are a fair few occasions when people get away with things that they should be prosecuted for because they have diplomatic immunity. It’s exceptionally frustrating but it’s a fact.We also have British people living abroad who are living with the same protection so it is a two way street. Sometimes the overall relationship between the two countries is more important than an individual case - tragic but true.

Wouldn’t she have released some sort of grovelling tearful apology?

She's probably been advised not to by her lawyers, as an apology could potentially affect the outcome of any court case etc.

You're advised not to apologise if you have a car accident, as an apology is seen as admitting responsibility. It's for the insurance to work out who was at fault.

I don't understand comments like these
She will have to live with killing that poor boy for the rest of her life. I don't want to imagine the torturous thoughts that plague her at night, it'll eat her up, eventually

Would you say this if a man had done it? I doubt it.
If someons killed your child I think you'd want more than "oh but she feels bad about it" wouldn't you?

I feel so sorry for Harry Dunn and his family. I dont understand the comments about a witch hunt, wouldn't we all want a fair hearing if somone killed one of our children?

Sacoolas must be hard as nails to believe she can simply walk away but I wonder how her own children will judge her as they grow up.

And also innocent people left in appalling circumstances in prisons abroad. A short stay in British prison, although probably awful, pales in comparison to routine torture and neglect in some prisons. I think people are being very black and white here; either she gets off with no repercussions OR she dies or something . All she has to do is go to court. The absolute worse case scenario for her coming back, probably isn't half as bad as what, for example Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe is going through.

@Magicbabywaves

I think her punishment will be the mental torture she has to go through on a daily basis. Huge sympathy to Harry’s family though.

One has to hope that and she doesn't just feel she's got away with it

@JaJaDingDong

My question was how would Anne Sacoolas feel if the shoe were on the other foot - it was her child that had been killed and the person responsible had left the country?

I imagine she'd feel very much the same emotions as Harry Dunn's family are feeling now, and have been feeling since the accident.

It's a question that doesn't need answering really.

Do you mean along with aching sorrow she would want the person who had caused her child's death (accidentally) through careless or dangerous driving to face the consequences of that in court. Yes, if it was one of my DC I'd want that too.

@Divebar

I fully empathise with the desire for justice... I’m sure I’d feel cheated under those circumstances. There are a fair few occasions when people get away with things that they should be prosecuted for because they have diplomatic immunity. It’s exceptionally frustrating but it’s a fact.We also have British people living abroad who are living with the same protection so it is a two way street. Sometimes the overall relationship between the two countries is more important than an individual case - tragic but true.

Sorry, my last post was in response to this. Thought I'd quoted!

I really think US military bases in the UK need to consider the impact of expecting people to switch between UK/US driving at the gate. Until they admit that it’s safer to implement UK driving rules on site then this is going to happen again.

She'll always be known as the woman who ran away rather than face up to her actions. I don't understand why she would want this label for life. If she'd gone down the route of accepting a punishment, she wouldn't carry this burden.

@Sunbird24

I really think US military bases in the UK need to consider the impact of expecting people to switch between UK/US driving at the gate. Until they admit that it’s safer to implement UK driving rules on site then this is going to happen again.

Yes! It's a ridiculous system really.

Anne Sacoolas not only has to live with her memory of what she did but also the fact that everybody probably knows what she did.

@Sunbird24

I really think US military bases in the UK need to consider the impact of expecting people to switch between UK/US driving at the gate. Until they admit that it’s safer to implement UK driving rules on site then this is going to happen again.

I totally agree, either that or they have to take a UK driving test before being allowed on the road.

I remember hearing the story of a young woman who accidentally killed someone with her car, but she was at fault. She went to jail. It ruined her life. Her parents had to move house and they never fully recovered from the shock. She never got over it, she still doesnt drive to this day. And that is the point- sometimes you do something so dreadful in life, you can't get past it. Ann Sacolas should be feeling like that. Safely back in the US, she may be somewhat damaged, but she will put it behind her. She will rationalise it to herself. I am sure of this because she was underhanded and fled the country and keeps bleating on about diplomatic immunity. It is a disgrace.

I do not believe she will forever feel guilty and be tortured by it. I wish she would be, as her actions in running away have been despicable.

The Dunns have my every sympathy. I hope they never let the woman have a minute's peace.

She is a coward and killed a child.
No apology and no justice

I agree phantoms. She clearly hasn't been reading Dostoevsky! It isn't like she's going to be thrown into a horrible jail and the key thrown away. It's court in a reasonably lenient country. Compared to her home country, very lenient tbh. There are teenaged girls spending life in prison (tried as adults in their teens - like 15, not 19) there for joint enterprise (not murdering someone but riling people up and it then ending in murder). So, put in prison, age 15, NEVER to be allowed out. Sorry, I'm off on a bit of a tangent here I realise, but just trying to offer some perspective here. Going to court in England is not death.

Sorry that is in USA with the teenager jailed for life, starting when she was 15.

@Pyewhacket I believe US military personnel do some kind of test before coming over here, same as our personnel have to before driving over there, or in Europe. I don’t know if that applies to their family members as well though as it’s usually an insurance requirement for driving vehicles which are either owned or rented by the military for them.

@Sunbird24 agreed.

I would imagine that (unless she a psychopath), the woman’s life is fairly horrendous as a result of this. I’m sure it’ll affect her children too. But my sympathy is with Harry Dunn’s family, and they do deserve better than this.

She has managed to exploit an option available to her, and is probably one many other people have exploited in similar circumstances

I would imagine she was ordered to return to the States by her government. I don't think she would have been given an option.

Harry's parents were given an audience with the President of the US for heaven's sake and they refused to meet with Anne Sacoolas at the White House. She could have apologised then but they want what they believe to be justice - Anne Sacoolas in court where she'd probably only get a fine or suspended sentence.

It was a tragic accident. Anne Sacoolas didn't hit & run. Some of you should be ashamed at your vindictiveness.

The amount of people on this thread saying that it was an accident and they'd run away as well is really disconcerting.

I'll genuinely really taken aback. I had no idea so many people have so little interest in the justice system if it was them on the wrong end of it.

I suppose it explains why so many families stand up for all sorts of stuff their adult kids do etc.

Anything to get out of it.

I understand her behaviour but it was despicable.

And more and more.

Yes yes run away.

Why not?

Oops I killed someone by driving on the wrong side of the road. Why should anything bad happen to me. It was an accident!

Fucking hell.

'Harry's parents were given an audience with the President of the US for heaven's sake'

What the fucking shittery is this now?

Meeting Donald trump should totes make up for a dead kid! He's amaaazing

Some weird posters on this thread.

Some of you should be ashamed at your vindictiveness.

You are doing a pretty good job of being vindictive yourself moira, so you know, pots and kettles and all that. #bekind. Don't tell us we should be ashamed of ourselves. You don't want us to be shamed do you? Not kind.