Diplomatic officials and their dependents in the UK allegedly committed offences including sexual assault, possession of indecent images of children, and indecent exposure last year, a Foreign Office minister has said.
Catherine West told parliament of nine serious offences allegedly committed by individuals with diplomatic immunity in 2023, and gave an update on fines and taxes owed by diplomatic missions.
An Iraqi individual is accused of possession or distribution of indecent images of children. Diplomats from Ghana, Libya and Mongolia have been accused of assault. There was an allegation of indecent exposure against a Portuguese individual, and an individual from Singapore was accused of child cruelty or neglect.
The annual list includes other alleged incidents including driving without insurance and further accusations of sexual assault.
About 26,500 people in the UK are entitled to diplomatic or international organisation-related immunity. The Foreign Office defines serious crimes as offences that carry a jail term of a year or more, as well as serious driving offences.
Where diplomats are alleged to have committed serious crimes, the Foreign Office asks their government or international organisation to waive diplomatic immunity, and where this is not granted they can ask the diplomat or dependent to leave the UK.
The most high-profile case in recent years has been the death of Harry Dunn, a motorcyclist who was hit by a car driven by Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat.
West said the vast majority of diplomats and dependents abided by UK law. She said the Foreign Office “does not tolerate foreign diplomats or dependants breaking the law” and added: “We take all allegations of illegal activity seriously.”
The Metropolitan police, the force most likely to investigate such allegations because Britain’s diplomatic hub is in London, have been approached for comment.
Between 2019 and 2022, 15 serious and significant offences were allegedly committed by people entitled to diplomatic or international organisation-related immunity in the UK. These included alleged sexual assault, common assault, domestic servitude and driving under the influence of alcohol.
West said fines and taxes owed by diplomatic missions included £152,436,135 in unpaid congestion charges from the scheme’s introduction in 2003 until September 2024. She said the US owed £15,160,275, Japan owed £10,422,558 and China £9,303,180.
Embassies owed £4,142,255 in business rates, with the Chinese embassy accounting for the most at £646,183. Saudi Arabia ranked the highest for parking fines as of the end of June, accounting for £196,630 of the £1,489,618 total owed by diplomats.
Transport for London has previously said the congestion charge is a “charge for a service and not a tax” and diplomats are not exempt from paying it.
West said officials had regular contact with diplomatic missions about outstanding debts and fines.
