Family of 9-year-old killed by careless driver express dismay at sentence

The family of a child killed by a reckless driver have described their son’s killer’s sentence as “pathetic”.

Ronan Wilson, 9, was killed while on holiday with his family in Donegal in 2023. The family, from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, were staying in their camper van at Bundoran, a popular seaside town on the Donegal coast.

On September 23, 2023, Ronan was struck by a car driven by 24-year-old Sergee Kelly from County Sligo. Kelly was driving at over 100kmph in a 50kmph zone. Had he been driving at the speed limit, police suggest he would have had 2 seconds to respond the boy’s presence on the road and make appropriate manoeuvres.

Ronan was flung into the air by the impact, and died at the scene after suffering catastrophic brain injuries. Kelly, who had previous convictions for assault and careless driving, then spent the evening on an alcohol and drugs binge.

Pleading guilty in the Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court, Kelly received a 5-year custodial sentence and a 20-year driving ban. In the Republic of Ireland, the maximum penalty for the offence of dangerous driving is 20,000 euros and or a ten-year custodial sentence.
When giving a victim impact statement, the boy’s uncle described the jail term as “pathetic”.

Causing death by dangerous driving is a serious offence and can attract heavy penalties in both the UK and the Republic of Ireland. In cases of dangerous driving, solicitors experienced in similar cases can provide sound advice about likely sentences and the court procedures involved.