Man jailed for hit-and-run death of apprentice electrician will spend longer in prison after mobile phone was found in his cell

By Eimear Dodd

A man jailed for the hit-and-run death of a 21-year-old apprentice electrician has been told he will spend longer in prison after a mobile phone was found in his cell. 

Cameron Cooper (24) was handed a sentence of five years and three months last March for the hit-and-run death of 21-year-old Dylan Killalee Maher.

The final year of this sentence was suspended for five years on a number of conditions including that Cooper be of good behaviour and keep the peace while in custody and for five years following his release.

Cooper was also disqualified from driving for nine years.

He was before a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday for a prosecution application under Section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

The court was asked to consider whether to activate part, all or none of the suspended portion of the sentence imposed on Cooper last March.

Cooper was convicted by Cloverhill District Court in December of an offence of possessing a mobile phone while in prison.

The court heard that a mobile was found during a search of Cooper’s cell on September 26, last. He had no permission to have the device.

Cooper pleaded guilty to the offence and was handed a fine of €300.

The sentence hearing last March heard that Cooper was driving at twice the speed limit when he struck Mr Killalee Maher, killing him instantly, before fleeing the scene.

Cooper, of Ballyneety Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, called emergency services in the wake of the fatal crash – but instead of seeking help, he falsely told gardaí his car had been stolen in an attempt to avoid blame, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, driving with no insurance, making a false report of a crime and failing to offer assistance to avoid criminal or civil prosecution, at locations on the Naas Road and Turnpike Road on November 12, 2023.

Members of Mr Killalee Maher’s family were in court for the hearing yesterday, with Judge Ronan Munro acknowledging their presence and expressing the court’s apologies that they were back again.

While a summary of the sentence hearing was read into the record, Mr Killalee Maher’s mother shouted out.

The judge noted he remembered the case and Ms Catherine Killalee said that she would “never forget it either”.

Addressing Ms Killalee, the judge said he appreciated the experience was traumatic, but Cooper had to receive the same treatment as anyone else in the court.

“I’m afraid if you can’t control your emotions, you can’t be here,” the judge said, adding that he was sorry but he would have to ask her to leave the court if there was another emotional outburst.

He said on a human level, he has sympathy for her situation, “but this is a court of law, not a place for you to shout out when you feel like it”.

Oisin Clarke BL, defending, submitted that his client’s offence is at the lower end of the scale.

He said notwithstanding this incident, Cooper is doing well in custody and attending school.

Cooper lost his status as an enhanced prisoner and his job following this incident. He has since regained his enhanced status.

Two random drug tests provided to the court were clear of all substances.

Mr Clarke said Cooper’s mother is supportive of him, but did not attend court as she did not wish to inflame matters as she was aware that members of Mr Killalee Maher’s family would be present.

Counsel asked the court to not re-activate any of the suspended portion of the sentence, suggesting that Cooper has already been punished within the prison system and by the conviction at the District Criminal Court.

Judge Munro said he accepted that this offence was at the lower end of the scale.

The judge said the court did not expect to see Cooper at least until after his release if at all.

He noted that the function of a suspended sentence is to ensure compliance with conditions on release from custody.

The judge said the court noted Cooper had been doing relatively well in custody and “hasn’t been just causing mayhem”.

He re-activated two months of the 12-month suspended portion, saying that the court had to mark the violation.

Addressing Cooper, the judge said “I hope for your sake we don’t meet again between now and the end of your term of imprisonment, if there is any breach on the outside, the consequences could be different”.

During the sentence hearing last March, five victim impact statements were read to the court from members of  Mr Killalee Maher’s family which described him as a kind, caring and driven young man, who is deeply missed by family and friends. Mr Killalee Maher was an apprentice electrician, the court heard.

In her statement, his mother said: “We haven’t lost him once. We have lost him every day since.”