MoJ to examine case of British woman strangled by US fighter pilot, UK justice minister says

A UK justice minister has described the case of a British woman strangled by an American fighter pilot as “really serious” and said the Ministry of Justice would examine it. Sarah Steele, an academic, has come forward to speak about the “distressing and degrading” experience she had with the US military justice system after she was assaulted by the airman in Cambridge. Jacob Wulfson assaulted Steele on UK soil in late 2023 after the pair met on a dating app and American military police quickly took over the case and the pilot was tried by US air force prosecutors. Sarah Steele, a British academic, has waived her anonymity to speak about her experience. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Guardian UK law enforcement has primary jurisdiction over crimes that occur outside US bases while military personnel are off duty. Steele’s case has put a spotlight on how UK authorities cede authority to the US military. The justice minister Jake Richards told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he would not comment on the specifics of the case but described it as “serious”. He said: “Well, I’m only just getting the details of this case. I saw reporting in the Guardian, and indeed I know that you have covered this at 6.50am and I will be, as you’ve encouraged your listeners to, listening back after I have finished this interview. “It’s a really serious case, really. It’s very good that it’s being raised by yourselves and others. …