Police have released harrowing footage of their response to a fatal crash in County Durham that killed a teenager on her 18th birthday, as her sister warns other young drivers they are "not invincible".
Fatal Crash on 18th Birthday
Abbie Devanney turned 18 on October 21, 2023. After spending the evening with her sister Amy, she headed out to go to Newcastle with friends. Travelling on rural County Durham roads in a Ford Fiesta driven by Charlie Whittaker, of Stanley, she was killed in a horrific crash.
Whittaker, then 17, had passed his driving test just six months earlier. He admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to five years and four months in prison in 2025. His phone contained multiple videos of him speeding, overtaking vehicles, and narrowly avoiding head-on collisions.
Sister's Warning
Amy Devanney has worked with Durham Constabulary on a twenty-minute film highlighting how dangerous such behaviour is. She said: "If you drive like this again and again, you have to acknowledge that it could happen to you – you are not invincible. The pain that me and my family have been through should be enough to motivate someone to stop."
Remembering the last time she saw her sister, Amy said: "I have really curly hair and she is the only person that can do my hair. We spent about two hours straight together, doing our hair and taking pictures. We hadn’t done that in a long time."
Amy added: "I want to be honest, if this hadn’t have happened to my sister, I think I would have ended up in situations where I was getting into those cars. Especially at my age, everyone knows someone who drives like that. I have never known a life without Abbie. A lot of people have told me how strong I am, but really what choice do you have? You can’t do anything about it – nobody can take away what happened, and nobody can bring her back."
Police Response
The shocking film shows police attending the scene of the fatal crash and elements of the police investigation. It also sees officers remembering how they dealt with the aftermath, including having to break the devastating news to Abbie's family.
Det Sgt Michael Hogg, one of the investigating officers, said: "There will be people out there who are able to identify with Charlie, the identity he had around cars, and be able to ask themselves that question is it worth going that bit faster, is it worth showing off. Charlie is not unique in terms of what he did that night. Behind that wheel you have a responsibility and it is not a responsibility you should be taking lightly."
Chief Inspector Sarah Hindmarsh, who heads up Durham Constabulary’s roads and armed policing unit, said: "Every single day people die on the roads in preventable tragedies. People think it won’t happen to them, until it does. Charlie’s actions that evening were not a one-off - he had shown a repeated pattern of behaviour in the months leading up to the collision of driving at excess speed, increased risk taking and showing little regard for other road users. We hope this film encourages new drivers to think about their driving and consider the consequences of their actions. We know Charlie didn’t go out that evening with the intention of killing anyone, but if you take risks, drive dangerously, and speed excessively, then this could happen to you."
Call for Graduated Driving Licences
The county's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Joy Allen said: "Abbie’s death is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating consequences that can follow when inexperienced drivers take risks behind the wheel. No family should have to endure the pain that Amy and her loved ones have suffered. Young drivers are disproportionately represented in serious and fatal collisions, which is why I continue to support the introduction of a Graduated Driving Licence scheme. Such a scheme would help new drivers gain experience gradually by placing restrictions on some of the highest-risk situations during the first months after passing their test. This is not about preventing young people from driving, but about giving them the best possible chance to stay safe while they build confidence and experience on the roads. If even one life can be saved and one family spared the heartbreak experienced by Abbie’s family, then Graduated Driving Licences would be worth it."
