Harry Dunn's family say 'the pain of his absence never fades'
Today marks six years since the 19 year old was killed outside RAF Croughton, as his family say they hope lessons have been learned from his case.
On the sixth anniversary of his death, the family of Harry Dunn say there's not a moment that goes by that they don't think of him.
The 19 year old, from Charlton near Banbury in Oxfordshire, was killed by a US woman driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on 27th August 2019.
The driver of the car who hit Harry's motorbike Anne Sacoolas fled the country, but was found guilty of causing his death when she appeared in court via video link in October 2021.
She pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 12 months and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Six years on Harry's mother Charlotte Charles said in a statement 'the pain of his absence never fades; they have simply learned to live alongside it.'
"While nothing can ever bring Harry back, our family’s fight for justice and accountability continues. Over these six years, we have faced challenge after challenge, but we have refused to be silenced. We have stood up not just for Harry, but for the principle that no family should ever endure what we have been through.
"We remain deeply grateful to everyone who has stood with us; our friends, our supporters, and the wider public who have kept Harry’s memory alive and demanded answers with us. Your compassion gives us strength."
In June an independent review into failings in his case by Northamptonshire Police has made 38 recommendations to the force, having found the suspects welfare was prioritised over prompt probe after the crash which led to his death.
After that in July the UK government announced an inquiry into how the UK Foreign Office handled Harry’s case. His family say they look forward to working with Dame Anne Owers, formerly Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, who is leading the inquiry.
In the King's Birthday honours Charlotte Charles was given an MBE for her road safety campaigning in her son's name.
Speaking on this years reviews, Charlotte says "We intend to make sure that no other family is left to suffer the same heartbreak and mistreatment that we did, and no other young life is cut short so needlessly and avoidably."
She added:
"Harry was loved beyond measure and he will always be at the heart of everything we do. We miss him more than words can ever express”