US authorities are accused of a cover-up after allegedly flying a diplomat out of the UK without informing British police, despite allegations of possessing indecent images of children. The incident has prompted calls for UK ministers to ensure the diplomat faces investigation in Britain.
The incident raises questions about diplomatic immunity, international cooperation in criminal investigations, and the potential for cover-ups, potentially impacting UK-US relations and the prosecution of alleged offenses committed by foreign diplomats on British soil.
UK government ministers are facing calls to act after US authorities reportedly flew a diplomat out of the country who is accused of possessing indecent images of children. US officials allegedly raided the diplomat's London flat last month before taking him to an American airbase and flying him out of the UK, without notifying the Metropolitan police.
US personnel do not have arrest powers in Britain, and no formal extradition request was made. UK ministers are understood to be in contact with the US embassy regarding the incident, which could further strain relations between London and Washington.
The case has drawn comparisons to that of US Air Force Capt Jacob Wulfson, who faced a court-martial for strangling a woman in Cambridge, and Anne Sacoolas, the US state department employee who caused the death of Harry Dunn in a car crash in 2019 and left the UK asserting diplomatic immunity.
In a letter to the justice secretary, Conservative counterpart Nick Timothy expressed concern that US actions represented a "cover-up" and that the diplomat may have committed offenses in the UK. Timothy argued that if this is the case, the diplomat should face trial in an English court and that these cases should be investigated by English police and prosecuted in UK courts.
A UK government spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing US investigation but stated that Britain expects all foreign diplomats to obey the law while in the UK. A spokesperson for the US embassy confirmed they were aware of allegations concerning one of their staff, stating that they "quickly informed UK law enforcement and took swift action" and that the individual has been reassigned to the United States. The Met police confirmed they were made aware of the US investigation and continue to liaise with them.