Family’s fury as cop’s son, 17, who mowed down and killed men while high on cannabis walks free
THE families of two men killed by the son of a cop while he was high on cannabis have demanded police reopen the case after the 17-year-old walked free from court.
Max Coopey, who lives with his parents in a £1million house in Ascot, was over the drug-drive limit when he ploughed into Jason Imi, 48, and John Shackley, 61, who died instantly as they walked back from a work dinner.
Despite being under the influence of the Class B drug, the teen was spared jail at his trial in January this year.
He was given 100 hours of community service, a £105 fine and banned from the road for two years.
Coopey, who had passed his test two months before the crash in August 2018, was prosecuted for drug-driving rather than death by dangerous or careless driving.
Thames Valley Police did not consult the Crown Prosecution Service.
Coopey was then caught behind the wheel of a car just two months after killing the men – he is due to be sentenced for that separate offence on Tuesday.
‘WE CANNOT GRIEVE’
Mr Shackley’s daughter, Danielle, 31, fumed: “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 Shackley’s widow, Christine, said: “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 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.”
Lawyers for the families say Coopey’s account of the crash suggests he may have been speeding, which should have led to the CPS considering charging him with causing death by dangerous driving.
But Thames Valley Police are adamant there is insufficient evidence to charge the teen – who was driving his dad’s £35,000 Audi A5 – with causing the men’s deaths.
The sports car hit the two work pals as they crossed the road in Ascot last August.
The impact was so hard that they were thrown over its roof and they were both killed instantly.
Lucy Dawe, of the Cannabis Skunk Sense campaign group, said Coopey was “sticking two fingers up at the law”, adding: “He has been treated very leniently.”
POLICE SERGEANT’S SON
Coopey’s dad is a sergeant in the Metropolitan Police and his mum worked for many years as a schools liaison constable working with pupils in London.
He had five previous convictions for drugs offences, robbery and common assault by the time he turned 18 earlier this year.
Coopey had 3.3 micrograms of cannabis in his blood – above the legal limit of 2mcg.
He said the drug had not affected him at his victims’ inquest in July.
He said: “Just because something is in your blood doesn’t mean you’re under the influence. Google it.”
Coopey is due to be sentenced on Tuesday for driving disqualified and not having insurance in October last year while he was awaiting trial for the drug driving charge.
He could face jail for ignoring the ban on getting behind the wheel.
Mr 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.”
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.”
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