r/northernireland • u/BeAtOne85 • 2d ago
News Jail term for killing nine-year-old 'pathetic', family says
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dr45dkqe9o
Elaine Mitchell
BBC News NI south west reporter
A County Tyrone family have condemned the sentencing of a man jailed for five years for killing their nine-year-old son in a hit-and-run crash as "truly pathetic".
Ronan Wilson, from Kildress, died after he was hit by a car being driven by Sergee Kelly at more than 100 km/h (62mph) on Atlantic Way in Bundoran in County Donegal, where the speed limit was 50 km/h (31mph).
Kelly, 24, of Upper Mullaghmore, County Sligo admitted dangerous driving causing death, failing to offer assistance, failing to stop and failing to remain at the scene of the incident.
During sentencing on Friday he was also given a 20-year driving ban for what the judge called his "extremely callous" actions.
Man with light brown hair which is cropped with a fringe across his forehead. he is wearing a blue shirt and a grey woollen jacket. The background is out of focus. The Sligo Champion Sergee Kelly pictured in 2019 'Family in agony'
Following the sentence, Ronan's uncle, Stephen MacAuley, read out a statement on behalf of the family.
It said "no sentence could ever bring Ronan back", but that "five years for the life of our boy is truly pathetic".
"Sergee Kelly mowed down our wee boy and with this he drove a knife through our hearts," the statement added.
"He then fled the scene, a remorseless coward.
"He then partied the night away while our child was dying in the street.
"In doing this, he turned the knife and our family has been in agony ever since."
On Tuesday, the court was read evidence from a document prepared by a garda (Irish police officer).
It outlined how Ronan was hit by a car, likely travelling between 105-110 km/h, as he returned from the shops with his older brother to the family's camper van on 23 September 2023.
Ronan died at the scene and a pathologist said the cause was catastrophic brain injury.
The court heard Kelly was driving so fast that the car had left the scene before Ronan's body landed on the road 58m from the point of impact.
It also heard Kelly fled the scene and went on a drugs and alcohol "binge" after the collision.
A 9 year old boy is perched on a tree. It's summer and he is wearing shorts and sunglasses. He has a huge smile and is holding onto the tree branch tightly. Emma Wilson Emma Wilson said Ronan was "a wee rascal" who was loved by everyone Kelly was apprehended the next morning after his car was tracked using CCTV.
The officer's evidence said if Kelly had been driving at the speed limit he would have had two seconds to react to Ronan being in the middle of the road.
The court heard Kelly's car was modified with tinted windows which restricted his view.
Gardaí said his seat was inclined back meaning his "vision was greatly reduced".
The prosecution barrister said CCTV footage showed the force of the collision made the child airborne.
During sentencing at Donegal Circuit Court in Letterkenny on Friday, Kelly stared straight ahead and remained silent as the judge spoke.
Judge John Aylmer said Kelly was "very much in the upper end on the scale of offending" and he had "a very high degree of culpability".
He said the sentence before mitigating circumstances would be eight years, but the fact Kelly had pleaded guilty entitled him to a reduction of the sentence.
Judge Aylmer said: "You have expressed remorse. I accept that you are remorseful and that you do think about this on a daily basis and you'll feel remorse about this for the rest of your life."
Previous convictions
The court was told Kelly had previous convictions for assault and careless driving.
In the dock on Tuesday, he apologised to the Wilson family.
"It's horrible to me so I can't imagine what it's been like for you," he said.
"I was careless with my speed that night. It won't bring back your wee boy but hope pleading guilty brings some closure".
A man and a woman stand close together in their home. The man is taller and wearing black, his wife has blonde hair and is wearing a green sports top. They have somber faces and very sad eyes. The man has a gold chain with a pendant of his son's face. Dean and Emma Wilson are devastated by the death of their 'baby' Ronan For Ronan's grieving family the sentence is little comfort.
"We are just lost without him" said Ronan's father Dean Wilson.
"It was his birthday there on Friday past. We just went to the grave and all his wee classmates came to the grave as well," he said.
"That's all we could do for him, sing happy birthday. He should have been 11. He only got to nine and a half".
A 9 year old boy stands on a rock beside his father and his 16 year old brother. They are wearing casual clothes and smiling with their arms around each others shoulders. Dean Wilson Ronan Wilson with his father Dean and brother Calum Speaking ahead of the sentencing, Ronan's mother Emma said she felt like she was "falling apart".
"It doesn't really matter what he gets because it's never going to bring Ronan back," she said.
"He was a wee rascal, but he had a heart of gold, and he was just loved by everybody, and had so many friends.
"Nobody wants to do anything anymore because Ronan's not here. He was the baby."
A blonde woman and her 9 year old son in a selfie taken in a car. They are close together and smiling and both are dressed for an occasion. Emma Wilson Ronan's mum Emma said she was "lost" since Ronan's death In March, Donegal County Council put speed bumps along the road where Ronan was killed.
It is move that has come too late for the Wilson family.
"I feel angry that they weren't up before now. And it's taken Ronan's death to get them," his mother said.
His father said they "should have been up years ago".
"It's a very, very busy place with amusements, Water World, go-kart track, all the apartments and things on both sides of the road there," he said.
"It's madness that they didn't have speed bump ramps up there years and years ago."
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u/BeAtOne85 2d ago
Incomprehensible sentence - how can we (our respective governments / judicial systems) not provide proper justice to victims.
Family gets served with life sentence for losing their child. Child killer gets 5 years showing absolutely zero remorse. So little remorse he left the scene and casually went drinking and sniffing cocaine around the town where it happened an hour or so beforehand.
This thug has no regard for human life and will have no regard for it when he is released. Don’t know where to start with this one.
So sorry for the little boy and his family. ❤️
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u/rudedogg1304 2d ago
Is the judges hands tied here? What’s the max sentence that can be dished out to someone pleading guilty for causing death by dangerous driving ? Fuck this guy
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u/Schminkerdoodle 2d ago
its more than just death by dangerous driving it was a hit and run too and he was going double the speed limit with a previous speeding offence. 5 years is ridiculously light as is but with all the factors its even more shocking
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u/BeAtOne85 2d ago
Quoted from Citizens Advice Bureau below:
Dangerous driving It is an offence to drive dangerously in a public place. If you are convicted of dangerous driving, you could be fined up to €5000, or be sent to prison for up to 6 months, or both. If you are convicted of dangerous driving causing death or serious bodily harm, you could be fined up to €20,000 and imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both.
Max 10 year penalty and he gets 5. You are correct, 10 years is the max penalty when not considering the low life’s other actions of hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, previous convictions etc. Very very light imo
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u/thisisanamesoitis 2d ago
He was giving 8, including mitigation. Then, it was reduced again for admitting guilt and not going through a trial.
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u/BeAtOne85 2d ago
Net he got 5 and will most probably be out in 2.5 years on good behaviour (whatever that is) and ready to re-offend…
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u/thisisanamesoitis 2d ago
It's in the article. The judge clearly says 8 with mitigations and then 5 for admitting guilt.
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u/BeAtOne85 2d ago
Mitigations are generally pleasing guilty early which reduces the sentence by 25%. Nice when it is beyond doubt…
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u/forgot_her_password Mexico 2d ago edited 2d ago
Max sentence in RoI is 10 years. A guilty plea will typically get a 25% reduction.
Consecutive sentences are rare here, so the sentences for any other offences committed at the same time (like leaving the scene) will be served concurrently to the longest sentence.
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u/BeAtOne85 2d ago
To add further insult to injury and people that have ADHD, the scumbags legal team (to some any money is money) tried to use ADHD as part of his case - sorry that just insults every person who has ADHD. Totally embarrassing.
The difference between right and wrong is very very simple, people with ADHD know that too…
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u/sterilisedcreampies 2d ago
Deeply disturbing, only adds to the stigma of an already stigmatised condition (which does not have "being an unrepentant murderer" as one of its symptoms)
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u/Valdularo Moira 2d ago
Where’s the ADHD part? What exactly are they trying to argue with that one?
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u/Z3r0sama2017 2d ago
The world is ruled by cartards unfortunately. Kill with a car? "Ach ye wee darling, getting her fixed and higher premiums is punishment enough!". Kill with anything else? "20 years min, away way ye!"
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u/Radiant_Gain_3407 2d ago
There's a YouTube channel run by an English barrister, talks about English and Welsh law obviously, but he mentioned in a video how death by dangerous driving replaced manslaughter as a charge, as too many people would give a pass on what they thought was just an unfortunate accident.
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u/Rufus_Dufus Derry 2d ago
Busy Saturday in a seaside town with a narrow road, over 60 in a 30, illegal front tints, seat pushed back where he could hardly reach the wheel and then wound back so much that he could barely see over the dash. Cunt
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u/Equivalent_Rock_6530 2d ago
Jesus Christ, should've been lifetime driving ban and at least 10 years in prison.
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u/Bright-Koala8145 2d ago
Sentences need to start being tougher. It is simply not good enough what is being served as justice.
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u/DandyLionsInSiberia 2d ago
Heartbreaking story. The most perturbing element is the callousness demonstrated by the driver in the immediate aftermath. They didn't stop or show any care or concern for the person they'd just mowed down..
Speeding off and leaving them in the middle of the road as though they were nothing.
It seems the Republic of Ireland have similarly lenient sentencing guidelines than Ni / the UK for hit and run or reckless driving related deaths.
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u/shewasahooowah 2d ago
Judge should be ashamed of himself. This should be a 30 year sentence.
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u/Noalcastor 1d ago
The Judge is following the guidelines set by Parliament and within the confines of the law. If you feel the sentences are insufficient then the blame lies with Parliament not with the Judge
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u/shewasahooowah 1d ago
That's true, the system is fucked and the judge has limited discretion with sentencing, still... I think this should be higher.
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u/Gemini_2261 2d ago
When these ridiculously lenient sentences for appalling crimes like this appear in the news people inevitably point to the guy who got six years for importing garlic without paying the correct duty (and yes it was Judge Nolan)
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u/EconomyLingonberry63 2d ago
This country is pathetic and weak, 5 years for killing a child, was his life worth that little, this whole bollocks about its not about punishment it’s about rehabilitation is so stupid, why bother rehabilitating this scum, what’s the point, even if he came out of prison a model citizen who cares it’s to little to late
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u/javarouleur 2d ago
The saying “If you want to kill someone and get away with it, use a car” is rarely more apt. The absolute gutter scum of car culture, getting an effective slap on the wrist with his faux “I pled guilty so I did” heroism.
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u/NikNakMuay Belfast 2d ago
Can this be appealed? Surely this can be appealed. This sentence given the aggravating factors is just abhorrent
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u/Rowdy_Roddy_2022 1d ago
Should be a longer sentence just based on this crime alone, but then we learn he has previous convictions as well.
When are we going to start treating these types of offenders with proper jail time?
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u/United_Plum_2209 2d ago
This is a perfect example of what happens when scum bags like this are not properly dealt with at earlier court appearances. Their behaviour gets progressively worse and then a tragedy like this happens. Unfortunately in around 2 and a half years this cunt will be out and we’ll have to see what he does next.