Driver already serving life term after causing eight deaths, say victims’ families

A man whose dangerous driving caused the worst traffic accident in the history of the State, resulting in the deaths of eight people, was yesterday sentenced to eight years after his original two- year sentence was found to be too lenient.

His sentence was upgraded despite pleas from the families of the eight dead men to free him as he was already serving “a life sentence” and their “own rehabilitation” could not begin until he was back among them.

Shaun Kelly, aged 27, of Hill Road, Ballymagan, Buncrana, Co Donegal, pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the death of eight men on a road between Clonmany and Buncrana on July 11, 2010. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final two suspended by Judge John O’Hagan in December last. He was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.