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Former diplomat expelled from UK over rape allegations

The Foreign Office said the diplomat was thrown out of the UK after the country involved rejected a request for immunity to be waived in the case - In Pictures
The Foreign Office said the diplomat was thrown out of the UK after the country involved rejected a request for immunity to be waived in the case - In Pictures

A foreign diplomat was expelled from the UK after allegations of two rapes and one attempted rape, the Foreign Office has revealed.

The individual involved and the country represented have not been identified.

The Foreign Office said that the diplomat - who also faced an allegation of malicious communication - was thrown out of the UK after the country involved rejected a request for immunity to be waived in the case.

The allegations were among 12 serious or significant offences allegedly committed by people entitled to diplomatic immunity in 2017.

Nationalities - but not identities - of diplomats facing criminal allegations are normally made public in the round-up of cases released annually by the Foreign Office (FCO).

But officials said that in the case of the rape allegations, the embassy involved is so small that identifying the nationality could result in inaccurate speculation about other mission staff.

Officials said in the case of the rape allegations, the embassy involved was so small that identifying the nationality could result in inaccurate speculation about other mission staff - Credit: Prisma by Dukas/Universal Images Group Editorial
Officials said in the case of the rape allegations, the embassy involved was so small that identifying the nationality could result in inaccurate speculation about other mission staff Credit: Prisma by Dukas/Universal Images Group Editorial

The Foreign Office also revealed three allegations of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and conspiracy to launder the proceeds of crime between 2009 and 2013, made against a former Cameroonian diplomat and two locally employed members of staff at the African country's High Commission, which were not previously made public because they were still under investigation.

Other allegations relating to 2017 included one report of sexual assault involving an individual representing Algeria, one of blackmail (Egypt) and one possession of a firearm with intent to injure (Cambodia).

Officials from the Austrian embassy and Commonwealth Secretariat were accused of drink-driving, a representative of Sierra Leone of driving without insurance or a licence and individuals from the Finnish and Saudi Arabian missions of driving without insurance.

Revealing the cases in a written parliamentary statement, the Foreign Office said: "Around 23,000 people are entitled to diplomatic immunity in the UK and the majority of diplomats and dependants abide by UK law. The number of alleged serious crimes committed by members of the diplomatic community in the UK is proportionately low.

"Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, we expect those entitled to immunity to obey the law. The FCO does not tolerate foreign diplomats breaking the law.

"We take all allegations of illegal activity seriously. When the police bring instances of alleged criminal conduct to our attention, we ask the relevant foreign government to waive diplomatic immunity where appropriate.

"For the most serious offences, and when a relevant waiver has not been granted, we request the immediate withdrawal of the diplomat."