Diplomatic Status

Around six weeks ago, at a RAF base in central England (near Northamptonshire)....an American dependent wife exited the based and got on the main road....unfortunately, on the right-hand side (remember, they drive on the left there).

Within like a minute, she hits some 18-year old British kid on a motorcycle....killing him.   Brit cops come....do a examination of the scene, and write up a report. 

The gal has American authorities from the base come over, and because her husband has diplomatic status...there's this brief talk.  No one knows what was said or how it was conveyed.  But they pull the papers out, and she gets on a plane rather quickly....departing the UK under diplomatic status.

The parents of the kid?  Furious.  Politically, it's being hyped up on a daily basis.  They want the lady to return and face justice. 

So you stand back and look over this landscape.

Even if she returns, the case would revolve around involuntary manslaughter.  If you can't establish drugs or alcohol in the matter (no one has suggested either in this case), then the case starts to lessen.  If they could establish that she was under care by a doctor and having had some prescription drugs....then the case might gather steam.

For sentencing, if guilty, in the UK?  Typically, it's a range of two to ten years.  A lot depends on the incident, severity, and court appreciation of your explanation.

The fact that a video is around and show her on the wrong side of the road when exiting the base?  That hinders her position, especially if she traveled more than 300 feet while on the wrong side. 

Having been to the UK, Australia and New Zealand....I can vouch that it takes a lot of effort to force yourself to drive on the left side of the road. 

So where this goes now?  I think Boris Johnson, upon early November and having BREXIT lessen as a problem, will come back to this episode, and ask for her to return to the UK. 

The family wants justice but I just don't see her getting more than one to two years max.  That's probably not the justice they want.