The family of a man who was killed in a hit-and-run wants the DPP to appeal against the sentence handed down in the case.
Dylan Killalee Maher (21) died when Cameron Cooper drove a car into him at 120km/h on a road outside a nightclub on November 12th, 2023.
Cooper (23), of Ballyneety Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was jailed at the city’s Circuit Criminal Court on March 24th.
Cooper, who admitted dangerous driving causing death, was driving at about 120km/h in a 60km/h area at the time of the collision.
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Judge Ronan Munro sentenced him to five years and three months in prison, with the last 12 months suspended. He also banned Cooper from driving for nine years, beginning immediately.
But Mr Killalee Maher’s family said such driving bans should only come into effect upon release from jail.
Now the family is to contact the Director of Public Prosecutions in the coming days and ask for an appeal to be lodged against the sentence.
Mr Killalee Maher’s mother Catherine said Cooper’s sentence was too lenient.
“It didn’t match the crime at all. What sort of message is the justice system sending out to the public?” she said.
Ms Killalee said she wanted the maximum sentence for dangerous driving causing death to be increased from 10 years to at least the 14-year limit applicable in Northern Ireland.
Increasing the maximum sentence to 14 years would send a message that dangerous driving was not acceptable, she said.
“That’s what we’re fighting for, to get the maximum sentence to be in line with Northern Ireland,” she said.
Ms Killalee said if the starting point were 14 years, rather than 10, the person in question would serve a sentence more in line with the seriousness of the crime, even if part of the sentence was suspended.
“At least families would be getting some sort of sentence to match the crime,” she said.
Ms Killalee also questioned why a person’s driving ban came into effect immediately rather than after they left prison.
“How can you drive a car when you’re in prison? That driving ban should start the day you’re released from prison,” she said.
Mr Killalee Maher was standing at the back of a car, getting his coat from the boot, when he was hit outside the Red Cow Hotel on the Naas Road, Dublin. He died almost instantly.
Cooper left the scene, then tried to report the car he had been driving as stolen. He presented himself to gardaí hours later. He also pleaded guilty to driving with no insurance.
Ms Killalee said she and her family were “devastated” by the loss of their son and brother.
“All I have is a headstone. All I have is a shrine in the sittingroom of pictures and candles,” she said.
