The man behind Ireland’s worst ever car crash will be handed a longer sentence before Christmas after his original sentence was dismissed.

Shaun Kelly of Hill Road in Ballymagan, Co. Donegal killed eight people, including seven of his friends, while driving towards Buncrana in 2010.

Shaun Kelly was 18 in June 2007 when he narrowly avoided a Garda patrol car while trying to overtake another car on a blind bed in Co. Donegal.

Three years later, the then 21-year-old, crashed into Hugh Friel’s car while driving at speed from a pub in Clonmany to Buncrana.

Mr. Friel, a 66-year-old farmer, died as well as seven of Mr. Kelly’s friends who were squashed into his car without seatbelts.

Mr. Kelly was jailed for two years last December, but that was ruled to be “unduly lenient” today.

The sentencing judge initially decided on a seven year term, but shaved three years off that in mitigation.

He then suspended half of the remaining four years – a double discount that shouldn’t have been allowed, according to the Court of Appeal.

A new sentence will be imposed next month.