Driver who killed eight freed in time for Christmas

THE man responsible for Ireland’s worst-ever road crash has been released from prison in time for Christmas. Donegal man Shaun Kelly was freed from Loughan House in Co. Cavan earlier this week.

Kelly, 29, of Hill Road, Ballymagan, Buncrana, killed eight people, including seven of his friends, in a horrific road crash in July 2010.

He was initially jailed for two years in December, 2014, after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths.

However, the Court of Appeal decided the sentence was too lenient and added another two years.

Last August, Kelly asked the High Court to grant his release, claiming that he was due one-third enhanced remission. This was refused.

He had been on temporary release and was spotted working on a farm near the family homes of some of this victims. That temporary release was revoked due to the publicity.

Relatives of his victims were notified this week that Kelly was being released, having served all of his sentence. A source close to one of the families said they dreaded meeting Kelly over the Christmas period.

Kelly was driving from Clonmany on the evening of July 11, 2010, when he collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction in Buncrana.

Seven of those who died were men aged between 19 and 23, while the eighth was a 66-year-old man on his way home from bingo.