UK government discloses crimes allegedly committed by foreign diplomats

LONDON: People with diplomatic immunity in the UK allegedly committed offences including sexual assault, indecent exposure and child cruelty last year, a British government minister said on Thursday (Nov 14).
A total of nine “serious and significant offences” by suspects with diplomatic protection were recorded with the foreign ministry in 2023, junior foreign minister Catherine West told parliament in a written statement.
They included a Libyan accused of sexual assault, an Iraqi accused of possession or distribution of indecent images of children, a Portuguese person accused of indecent exposure and someone from Singapore facing an accusation of child cruelty or neglect.
“The vast majority of diplomats and dependants abide by UK law,” said West, referring to the 26,500 people in Britain who have diplomatic or international organisation-related immunity from prosecution.
She said that when alleged criminal conduct is brought to the ministry’s attention “we ask the relevant foreign government or international organisation to waive immunity, where appropriate, to facilitate further investigation”.
“For the most serious offences, and when a relevant waiver has not been granted, we request the immediate withdrawal of the diplomat or dependant,” West added.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it was aware of an incident of alleged child neglect concerning a public officer attached to the Singapore High Commission in London. But it added that diplomatic protection was not invoked.
“The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required. The officer had cooperated fully in the investigation and diplomatic immunity was not invoked at any point,” said MFA in response to CNA queries.
It said the incident in September 2023 occurred when the Singaporean officer left his sleeping children at home to pick up his spouse at night.
One child woke up and managed to exit the locked house to look for the parents, before being found a short distance away.
This led to the involvement of the local police in the matter. MFA added that the authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required.
“The officer has since deposted as scheduled,” said MFA, adding that the officer was counselled and issued a warning following the incident.
West also revealed that diplomatic missions owe more than £152 million (US$193 million) in unpaid congestion charge fees in London, from its introduction in 2003 to last month.
The US embassy owes more than £15 million alone. It refuses to pay the £15 daily charge to enter central London because it views it as a tax from which diplomatic missions should be exempt.
Japan owes £10.4 million while China owes £9.3 million.
West also disclosed that diplomats owed almost £1.5 million in unpaid parking fines at the end of June. Saudi Arabia owed the most at £196,000, she said.