A young driver who killed a taxi driver and his passenger in a high-speed crash just weeks after passing her driving test has had her prison sentence increased by the Court of Appeal. Liberty Mitchell, 21, was originally sentenced to six years and eight months’ imprisonment after admitting causing the deaths of Octavian Codreanu and Moyra Whelan in a collision on the B4425 in Gloucestershire in December 2022. However, following a referral by the Attorney General under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, senior judges ruled the original sentence was too low and increased it to nine years and three months.
Fatal High-Speed Collision
The Court of Appeal heard that Mitchell had passed her driving test just three weeks before the fatal crash. Despite her inexperience, she drove at excessive speed before colliding with a taxi being driven by Octavian Codreanu, killing both him and his passenger, Moyra Whelan. Mitchell admitted:
- Two counts of causing death by dangerous driving
- One count of causing death by driving while uninsured
Court Rules Sentence Was Too Lenient
The case was referred to the Court of Appeal by Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC, who argued the original prison term failed to properly reflect the seriousness of the offending. Appeal judges agreed and increased Mitchell’s sentence from six years and eight months to nine years and three months.
Families Welcome Decision
The increase means Mitchell will spend significantly longer behind bars for the crash that claimed two lives. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of dangerous driving, particularly among inexperienced motorists, and demonstrates how the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme can be used to challenge sentences that fail to reflect the gravity of the offences. The revised sentence of nine years and three months’ imprisonment now stands as the final penalty imposed by the Court of Appeal.
