A 21-year-old driver who killed two people in a crash while filming herself speeding on Snapchat has had her sentence increased. Liberty Mitchell was traveling at 96 mph when her Mini Cooper collided with three other vehicles on the B4425 near Aldsworth in Gloucestershire.
Mitchell had attempted to overtake three vehicles simultaneously before attempting to abort the maneuver, striking a taxi. The crash resulted in the deaths of taxi driver Octavian Codreanu and his passenger, school teacher Moyra Whelan. Several other individuals were hospitalized, some with life-changing injuries.
The incident occurred in 2022, shortly after Mitchell, then 18, had passed her driving test just three weeks prior. She had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing death whilst uninsured, and three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Previously sentenced to six years and eight months in prison at Gloucester Crown Court seven months ago, Mitchell's sentence was increased to nine years and three months by the Court of Appeal. This change followed a referral by Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
Police investigations revealed that Mitchell had frequently used her phone while driving, despite her limited experience. Videos showed her filming herself with a filter, with the speedometer displaying an increasing speed. Other footage captured her driving at 100 mph in a 60 mph zone and veering into oncoming traffic while friends urged her to stop.
"Liberty Mitchell's reckless actions behind the wheel claimed the lives of two people and left many others with life-changing injuries," Attorney General Ellie Reeves stated. "The offender had previously filmed herself speeding and shared it on social media, showing disregard for the danger she posed to others. I welcome the Court of Appeal's decision to increase her sentence."
Injuries sustained by victims included a fractured hip, broken ribs, severe abdominal wounds, and bones protruding through the skin. Nicola Cooper, a passenger in the taxi, described the crash as traumatic and spoke of living with survivor's guilt. Katy-Louise Whelan, Moyra Whelan's sister, expressed devastation over the loss and the violent nature of her sister's death.
Mitchell was also disqualified from driving for eight years and four months and will be required to pass an extended driving test before regaining her license. Her defense had suggested her actions stemmed from inexperience rather than irresponsibility, arguing she may not have understood the risks of her maneuvers. The judge, however, characterized her as a "reckless and immature young driver" operating under a "delusion that you were invulnerable."