Harry Dunn’s family accuse the Foreign Office of ‘covering up’ diplomatic crimes The Foreign Office refused to provide details of people with diplomatic immunity who had committed a crime in the past two years

Harry Dunn’s family have accused the Foreign Office of “covering up” diplomatic crimes after it refused to publish details of the number of officials accused of breaking the law.

A Freedom of Infomation (FOI) request sent to the FCO by Sky News asked the government body to provide details of people with diplomatic immunity who had committed a crime in the UK over the past two years.

The Foreign Office declined to answer the FOI request, however, reportedly telling the news outlet they will publish the details “at some future date”.

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Shortly after the request was refused, the stepfather of Harry Dunn – who was killed in a road collision by a US diplomat’s wife earlier this year – said his family had been approached by “dozens and dozens of people” with similar cases.

‘Get out of jail free card’

Bruce Charles argued that diplomatic immunity should not be used as a “get out of jail free card” and accused the FCO of “burying the details” of alleged breaches of the UK law.

“Instead of trying to cover up the issue, they should be coming forward and working with us to shine a light on the problem so that it can be fully understood and dealt with,” he said.

“If they don’t, we will expose it ourselves.”

Mr Charles has been lobbying for Anne Sacoolas, the suspected driver of the car that killed his stepson, to be returned to the UK to face trial.

“We have been approached by dozens and dozens of people who have over the years suffered at the hands of, in particular American, foreign government employees throughout the country but never had the chance to seek legal redress,” he added.

“We have heard terrible stories of people who have never even had an apology, with the person responsible often being taken away the next day.”

An FCO spokesperson told i the department planned to publish figures for 2018 in January 2020. They also claimed they “anticipated publishing figures for 2019 from the summer of 2020”.

“Serious offences allegedly committed by staff at foreign missions in the UK are very concerning and we regularly publish this information in Parliament to ensure transparency. We will publish the next figures in January,” the spokesperson said.

Boris Johnson promises help

It comes after Boris Johnson said last Saturday he would carry on trying to help Mr Dunn’s family.

“The law should take its course and we will obviously be following that case with keen interest and continuing to make representations on behalf of Harry Dunn’s family in the US at every level,” Mr Johnson said.

Prosecutors in the UK said last week they would charge Ms Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving and seek her extradition over the crash in August.

Ms Sacoolas’ lawyer said her client would not return voluntarily to Britain to face a potential jail sentence for “a terrible but unintentional accident”.

Mr Johnson has previously said he wants Ms Sacoolas to return to Britain and that she was wrong to use diplomatic immunity to leave.

Mr Dunn’s parents met US President Donald Trump at the White House in October. Mr Trump hoped to persuade them to meet Ms Sacoolas, who was in the building at the same time, but they declined.

Additional reporting from Reuters