Ronan Wilson family 'devastated' at five-year sentence for child's killer
A family spokesperson, reading a statement, said: 'No sentence could ever bring Ronan back, but five year 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 family of nine-year-old Ronan Wilson have said they are “devastated” by the sentence handed down to the driver who mowed down and killed the nine-year-old.
Sergee Kelly was sentenced to five years in prison and disqualified from driving for 20 years for dangerous driving causing the death of Ronan on September 23, 2023 at Atlantic Way, Bundoran.
Kelly went out on the town, partying on drink and drugs, just minutes after knocking down Ronan - who was in Bundoran with his family - while driving at over 100km/h.
The Wilson family were present as Kelly was sentenced by Judge John Aylmer at Donegal Circuit Court.
Ronan’s mother, Emma, clutched a teddybear made from Ronan’s favourite hoodie and other family members held photos of the sports-mad child.
Outside Letterkenny Courthouse, Ronan’s uncle, Stephen McAuley, read out a statement on behalf of the heartbroken family.
“We are devastated by the sentence given today,” he said.
“No sentence could ever bring Ronan back, but five year 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.
“He then fled the scene, a remorseless coward. He then partied the night away while our child lay dying in the street.”
He said the family, from Kildress in County Tyrone, have been “in agony” ever since Ronan was killed.
A signed guilty plea entitled Kelly to an automatic reduction of one third to the sentence, the starting point for which Judge Aylmer said was eight years. The maximum possible sentence for an offence of dangerous driving causing death is 10 years.
Kelly was previously sentenced to prison - a four-year sentence with the final two years suspended - in 2019 for stabbing a youth in the face. Two years later, Kelly was fined €2,000 for careless driving after being caught driving at 160km/h.
Mr McAuley said: “The sentence handed out today doesn’t ease our pain in any way and we believe this sends the wrong message to other young people who drive vehicles in a reckless way - a blight suffered in communities up and down the country and particularly Donegal.
“Our family needs time to come to terms with the loss of Ronan. He was a force of nature. We will miss him beyond measure.”