American citizen Anne Sacoolas was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, at the Old Bailey in London for causing the death of British teenager Harry Dunn in a fatal traffic collision in August 2019, meaning she will not have to go to jail.
Sacoolas pleaded guilty in October to causing death by careless driving, punishable by up to five years in prison.
She admitted to driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit the 19-year-old motorcyclist outside a US military base in England, where her husband worked as a US diplomat.
Sacoolas was not present in person for the sentencing, despite High Court judge Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb appealing for Sacoolas to return to Britain to face sentencing in person.
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She appeared via a video link after the court gave her a permission to do so.
Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity claimed on her behalf and was able to leave the United Kingdom weeks after the accident.
Britain’s attempt to extradite Sacoolas to face charges of causing death by dangerous driving was declined by US authorities, and the incident has sparked some tension between the two countries.
