Gloucestershire killer driver's sentence changed as it was 'too lenient'

A young driver who killed two people in a car crash after speeding in Gloucestershire has had her sentence increased following an appeal. Liberty Mitchell, aged 21, of Chipping Norton, had her sentence increased by two years and seven months. It has gone from six years and eight months to nine years and three months, after the Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, referred her case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The court heard that on December 2, 2022, Mitchell was driving towards Aldsworth when she attempted to overtake three vehicles on the wrong side of the road at nearly 100mph in a 60mph zone. She crashed with one of the cars she had attempted to pass - a taxi - causing a pile-up involving multiple vehicles. The driver of the taxi, Octavian Codreanu, was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, history teacher Moyra Whelan, sustained life-threatening injuries and later died at Southmead Hospital. Mitchell’s actions that led to the crash also injured six other people, three of them seriously. Mitchell, a self-employed domestic cleaner, was driving the car between jobs at the time of the crash and her motor insurance policy did not cover use or business purposes. Following an investigation by the police, videos of Mitchell filming herself whilst driving dangerously, were discovered on her social media accounts. One video showed her speeding at 100mph, and another showed her veering to the opposite side of the road onto oncoming traffic. The Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP said: "Liberty Mitchell's reckless actions behind the wheel claimed the lives of two people and left many others with life-changing injuries. "My deepest sympathies go to the loved ones of Octavian Codreanu and Moyra Whelan, and to all those whose lives have been devastated by this tragedy. "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, and I pay tribute to the emergency services who treated the injured at the scene." On February 13, 2026, at Gloucester Crown Court, Liberty Mitchell was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months’ imprisonment for pleading 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. Liberty Mitchell was also disqualified from driving for 8 years and 4 months, with a requirement to take an extended driving test before regaining licence. On July 28 2026, at the Court of Appeal, Liberty Mitchell’s sentence was increased to nine years and three months.