Sentence imposed on Shaun Kelly found to be “unduly lenient”

The sentence handed down to a Donegal man responsible for the worst fatal collision in the history of the State has been found to be “unduly lenient”.
Shaun Kelly of Hill Road in Ballymagan was jailed for two years last December for dangerous driving causing the deaths of eight people’This tragedy unfolded after Shaun Kelly watched the 2010 World Cup Final with some friends at a pub in Clonmany.
He hadn’t been drinking, but afterwards, the now 27-year-old sped off towards Buncrana with seven of his friends crammed into his car without any seatbelts on.
All of his passengers, who were aged between 19 and 23, were killed when he crashed into Hugh Friel, who was on his way home from Bingo.
The 66-year-old also died at the scene.
Today, the Court of Appeal ruled that the sentence of four years with two suspended was unduly lenient.
The three judge panel agreed that his guilty plea was entered too late to be considered a significant mitigating factor and that the judge made a mistake by suspending half of his four year sentence.
A new sentence will be imposed before Christmas.