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Police officer's son who killed two while driving high on drugs spared jail, identified after turning 18

The teen, identified as Max Coopey, was reportedly high on drugs when he struck 48-year-old Jason Imi and his 61-year-old colleague John Shackley in August last year.
PUBLISHED MAY 27, 2019

A police officer's son who ploughed his parents' Audi into two men while high on cannabis has been spared a prison sentence in Britain, according to reports.

The teen, identified as Max Coopey, was reportedly high on drugs when he struck 48-year-old Jason Imi and his 61-year-old colleague John Shackley in August last year.

Reading Youth Magistrates Court heard that the 18-year-old had smoked cannabis with friends and then took them for a drive in his parents' Audi A5 in Sunninghill, near his £1million family home in Ascot, Berkshire, according to the Mirror. Coopey, however, during the drive hit and killed Imi, father to three, and Shackley who had gone out with his colleague to enjoy a meal.

The teen was arrested the same day on suspicion of causing death by dangerous drive. A blood test conducted by authorities revealed that Coopey had 3.3mcg of cannabis in his bloodstream. The teen had reportedly passed his driving test only two months ago. 

The investigation, conducted by Thames Valley Police, eventually concluded that Coopey's driving was not careless, dangerous, or impaired by drugs. The teen was reportedly only charged for driving with drugs in his system and not for the deaths he caused.

The Crown Prosecution Service, while talking about the charge, told the Daily Mail, that the Thames Valey department had "not consulted" with them over the case.

A police spokesperson said: "Thames Valley Police liaised with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding this case, after a full and thorough investigation it was concluded that the evidence gathered did not meet the threshold to charge the driver with a standard of driving offence."

Coopey's mother was a Met Police schools liaison PC until last year. 

Coopey, while addressing the court, said: "I had smoked four or five hours prior to that. Now I would never go near a car. I genuinely thought I wasn't impaired. I had no idea I was over the limit, otherwise, I wouldn't have driven a car at that time."

"I had tears in my eyes when I was listening to the families' statements. I can't describe in words how I feel about it," he added. "It is the most unfortunate thing. It really has affected my mental well-being."

The teen was ordered to carry out 100 hours' community service. He was also disqualified from driving for 24 months and charged £105 in costs. His parents' said that they would pay the costs. 

Presiding magistrate Penny Wood, while sentencing Coopey said that she and her colleagues' "initial thinking" was to imprison Coppey, saying: "It can't be right to drive your car and knock down two people, innocent pedestrians and kill them." 

However, the magistrate added: "There are no charges in relation to the standard of your driving on that day. But we can begin by saying so it can be heard by anyone in the court, that we take this extremely seriously."

The victims, from Buckinghamshire, reportedly worked together at a computing firm and were returning to a hotel in the town after dinner. 

Coopey was spread prison in January this year and magistrates had barred the press from identifying him until he turned 18. The teen now has been named for the first time in relation to the case, and already has five convictions racked up for seven offences conducted between the ages of 12 and 17.  

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