27-year-old Shaun Kelly, from Hill Road, Ballymagan, Buncrana, Co Donegal, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of eight people on July 11, 2010.
At a hearing last month, Mr. Kelly received a four year imprisonment sentence, with two suspended, and was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.
Reacting to the sentence, counsel for DPP Úna Ní Raifeartaigh SC, expressd to the Court of Appeal that it was the “worst fatal collision and the worst case of dangerous driving in the history of the State,” adding that the sentence “did not reflect the gravity of Kelly’s culpability and the harm that was actually caused.”
The Court of Appeal upheld the counsel’s opinion, and Mr. Kelly will be resentenced in a court of law next month.
The eight men who died as a result of Mr. Kelly’s dangerous driving were named as: Hugh Friel (66), Urris,Clonmany, Eamon 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.
This incident represents the worst single road crash in Ireland to date.