THE parents of a Co Donegal teenager killed by a car driven by a man with one of the worst criminal records in the UK or Ireland have called for tougher sentences for anyone found guilty of causing a road death.
Shane Patton (18) from Drumkeen died in 2012 when Eamon Lynch drove into his car.
Lynch, who had more than 460 previous convictions, had been drinking and was banned from driving at the time of the crash.
Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison when he pleaded guilty at Letterkenny circuit court to a charge of careless driving.
Lynch had been extradited from the north to face the charges.
Speaking on RTÉ, Julie and Martin Patton said tougher sentences were needed.
Mrs Patton said the family was only told the night before Lynch's court case that he would face a careless driving charge rather than a dangerous driving indictment which would have carried a longer sentence. She said they were told that Lynch might have been acquitted if the case went before a jury.
Mr Patton said if tougher sentences were not introduced road safety would suffer.
"There are too many court cases with the same outcome and even cases that don't get as far as the courtroom. It's just so slack," he said.
