A senior US Air Force officer who worked at the American embassy in London left the United Kingdom in August before British police questioned him, and now faces charges in the United States military justice system. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Morris served as an assistant military attaché at the embassy. The US Air Force says charges have been preferred against him and will be reviewed to decide whether the case goes to court-martial. A hearing is due in November at Joint Base Andrews near Washington. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

What the case involves

The charges relate to alleged offences involving child sexual abuse material. Reporting says US investigators linked the matter to material allegedly shared with Morris by his brother, who faces separate proceedings in Illinois and denies the charges against him. Morris was flown out of Britain on a civilian flight before being questioned by British police, according to reports, and he is understood to have had protection associated with diplomatic status, although he was not himself a diplomat. The Metropolitan Police says it has been liaising regularly with the US authorities.

Why jurisdiction matters here

The US Embassy in London has said it expects all personnel to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, takes the allegations seriously, and quickly informed UK law enforcement. The UK government has said it expects all foreign diplomats in the UK to abide by British laws, as it expects UK diplomats to do overseas, and that it would not be appropriate to comment further while a US investigation is ongoing. Reports say the government remains in close contact with the embassy, including at ministerial level.

The case has drawn attention because it raises questions about how allegations against US military personnel on British soil are handled, and which justice system ultimately deals with them. Similar concerns arose in earlier cases, including the death of teenager Harry Dunn in 2019, after which the driver left the country under a claim of diplomatic immunity. Here, the process sits with the US military: the preferred charges must be reviewed, a decision taken on referral to court-martial, and any trial conducted under that system. British police have not questioned Morris, and no finding has been made against him in either country.

Sources: The Times and Wandsworth Times (BBC reporting).