Man whose driving killed eight in horror Donegal crash has sentenced doubled

A man whose dangerous driving caused eight deaths has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment with the final four suspended following a finding by the Court of Appeal that his original two-year jail term was too lenient.

Shaun Kelly (aged 27), of Hill Road, Ballymagan, Buncrana, Co Donegal, had 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.

Kelly was driving a Volkswagen Passat on the night of July 11, 2010 between Clonmany and Buncrana when he collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction driven by 66-year-old Hugh Friel, who was on his way home from bingo.

Mr Friel and seven young men who were travelling in the car with Kelly were all killed.

They were: Eamonn McDaid, 22, of Ballymagan, Buncrana; Mark McLaughlin, 21, of Ballinahone, Fahan; Paul Doherty, 19, of Ardagh, Ballyliffin; Ciaran Sweeney 19, of Ballyliffin; PJ McLaughlin, 21, of Rockstown, Burnfoot; James McEleney, 23, of Meenaduff, Clonmany and Damien McLaughlin, 21, of Umricam, Buncrana.

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Shaun Kelly was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final two suspended by Judge John O'Hagan in December last. The maximum sentence is 10 years imprisonment. Kelly was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.

In October, the Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of Kelly's sentence on grounds that it was “unduly lenient”.

Last month, the Court of Appeal acceded to the DPP's application and found that his sentence was “unduly lenient”.

He was resentenced today to eight years imprisonment with the final four suspended.

Shaun Kelly's car after the crash. Picture: Margaret McLaughlin

In December last year, Eamon Sweeney, whose son Ciaran was killed in the crash said his son had got into the car willingly, and it was unfair that Shaun Kelly be left to take all the blame.

He said Shaun Kelly needed all the help and support he could get, and not punishment. He also said that as soon as Shaun Kelly was able, he visited the Sweeney family and "expressed immense remorse".

He added enough lives had been ruined, that it would make it harder for the Sweeney family if Kelly were sent to jail and it would not be what Ciaran would want.

James McEleney's brother Robert also said he would never have wanted his brother to be in Shaun Kelly's position and his family do not want Shaun Kelly sent to prison.

Paul Doherty's father Felix said Shaun Kelly was already serving a life sentence. Seamus McDaid, whose son Eamonn died in the crash, said Kelly could not be forgotten. He said Kelly had suffered enough and he did not want him sent to prison.

Meanwhile, Hugh Friel's brother Anthony said he felt anger, was on medication, could not sleep, and had planned to take his life a number of times.