Families’ fury as stoned driver who killed two back in court for driving offence

The family of two men killed by a teenager who drove into them while stoned have hit out at the decision not to jail him for the deaths after he racked up another driving conviction.

Max Coopey, whose parents are both serving Met Police officers, ploughed into John Shackley, 61, and 48-year-old Jason Imi with his dad's Audi A5 while he was high on cannabis in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

They had been walking back from a work dinner when they were struck by Coopey's A5 in August 2018.

Just 17 at the time, he was never prosecuted for causing the men's deaths after a police report absolved him of any blame.

Instead he was convicted of drug driving and walked free from court.

At Reading Magistrates' Court he was given a rehabilitation order, to replace the one he was already serving for a drug-driving offence committed eight weeks before the two men died.

He was also disqualified from driving for 24 months and charged £105 in costs.

His mum Catherine Coopey, a school liaison police officer and dad Russel Coopey, a sergeant, said they would pay the fine for him.

They all live in a £1million home in Ascot.

Two months after the horror crash in August last year Coopey was caught driving while disqualified and uninsured in a separate incident and could face jail when he is sentenced on Tuesday.

John Shackley's widow Christine said: "It would be a slap in the face to think he gets jailed for uninsured driving but not for killing two people.

"I do want him to face some justice, but I feel it is for the wrong crime.

"I blame his parents as much as him. How can they keep making excuses for him?

"They should have made him face up to the mistakes he has made."

Mr Shackley's daughter Danielle, 31, said: "Coopey is basically sat there laughing at us.

"We cannot rest and we cannot grieve. We are not getting any justice at all and we are not being treated properly.

"How can you get behind the wheel of a car while you are high on drugs, kill two people and not go to prison for it?"

Mr Imi's widow, Sarah, added: "As we try to rebuild our lives, we are reminded that this boy just does not care about anyone but himself.

"His parents are both serving police officers, as yet there is no decency in either of them – not once have they attempted to apologise for our loss."

Approached for comment, Coopey’s mum told the Mail on Sunday: "We don’t do trial by newspaper."

In a statement, the family later said: "Our sympathy is with the families of Mr John Shackley and Mr Jason Imi following the tragic accident."

The report which absolved Cooper was compiled by Adrian White, a police collision investigator.

However Coopey, who said "no comment" in a police interview, could still end up being charged over causing the men's deaths.

Now 18 he spoke about the crash for the first time at an inquest into the men's deaths in July in Reading.

Lawyers for the families say his account of the crash means he may have been speeding so the case should be reopened.

Coopey said he had his dipped headlights on as he approached a blind dip in a completely straight, 800 metre stretch of the 50mph zone road.

He told how he saw Mr Imi and Mr Shackley as he reached the top of the blind summit and they started crossing to the Royal Berkshire Hotel, where they were staying while on a work trip.

He said: "I can't see past the dip. I see two figures when I am at the top of this dip. Just before the hotel. Two figures just before the hotel opposite.

"I first braked when they were on the pavement because they are looking out on the road as if they are going to cross.

"They started across, They were fast walking. They continued towards the middle of the road, started panicking.

"I continued braking, throughout the whole time, from the time I saw them on the kerb until the time I stopped, my foot was slammed down the whole time.  

"They got to about halfway and I was very close, I do not know but it looked like they were panicking from my view, they continued quickly, tried to make it. One of them went in front, the other followed him, behind him.  

"From my point of view, it looked like they were panicking and quickly tried to run across the crossing and quickly get across."

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "A review of the statements made by Max Coopey during the inquest into the deaths of Jason Imi and John Shackley is currently being undertaken."

Coopey has a string of previous convictions dating back to when he was 12 years old including common assault, robbery and drugs.

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