Court raises jail term over deadly high-speed crash in Gloucestershire
The Court of Appeal has increased the prison sentence of Liberty Mitchell, the 21-year-old driver whose actions in December 2022 led to the deaths of two people on the B4425 in Gloucestershire. The Attorney General referred the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, and the term was raised from six years and eight months to nine years and three months.
The collision claimed the life of taxi driver Octavian Codreanu, who died at the scene, and passenger Moyra Whelan, who later died in hospital. Whelan, who was from Woodford in London, had been travelling to a schoolfriend's wedding when the crash occurred.
At the original hearing, jurors were told the defendant had been travelling at around 96mph in a 60mph zone moments before the impact. She was driving a Mini Cooper and attempted an overtaking manoeuvre involving multiple vehicles before losing control and colliding with the taxi. Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and to causing death by driving while uninsured, along with three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in relation to others hurt in the incident.
"Liberty Mitchell's reckless actions behind the wheel claimed the lives of two people and left many others with life-changing injuries,"
The Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC, said she had deep sympathy for the victims' families and asked the Court of Appeal to review the sentence. Evidence submitted at the earlier trial included videos the defendant had posted on social media showing her driving at high speed and veering into oncoming traffic days before the collision.
Local impact and legal context
The increase of the custodial term reflects the seriousness with which courts are treating dangerous driving causing death, particularly where factors such as excessive speed, risky overtaking and prior reckless conduct are present. For the local communities affected, including those connected to the victims, the ruling will be seen as an affirmation that such conduct attracts a more severe punishment on review.
- Victims: Octavian Codreanu (died at scene); Moyra Whelan (died in hospital).
- Defendant: Liberty Mitchell, aged 21 at the time of reporting; was 18 at the time of the crash.
- Location: B4425, Gloucestershire.
Mitchell was sentenced at Gloucestershire Crown Court in December 2025. The Court of Appeal's decision on 28 July increased the term to reflect the Attorney General's referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence procedure. The case also highlighted the role of social media evidence; prosecutors presented videos from platforms including Snapchat in which the defendant recorded herself driving at very high speeds and performing dangerous manoeuvres shortly before the fatal collision.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Original sentence | 6 years 8 months |
| Increased sentence | 9 years 3 months |
| Speed before impact | Approximately 96mph (60mph limit) |
| Date of crash | December 2022 |
Those affected by the crash include several people who survived with serious injuries. The prosecution said the defendant had filmed herself driving at up to 100mph and in a way that put oncoming traffic at risk only days before the collision.
This case serves as a reminder to drivers across Gloucestershire about the potentially catastrophic consequences of excessive speed and unsafe overtaking. It also illustrates the courts' willingness to revisit sentences that prosecutors and the Attorney General consider insufficient for the harm caused.
For families of the deceased, the sentence increase may offer some measure of accountability, though it cannot undo the loss. Local road safety groups may point to the ruling as support for stronger measures and public education to prevent similar tragedies.
