CPS to consider charges over Blackhall crash which claimed the life of toddler and teenager, inquest is told

Three-year-old Kelsey Marie Mary Maggie Stokes and Shauna Christina Stokes, 17, died following the collision between a blue Peugeot 206 and a van on the Coast Road between Horden and Blackhall on Wednesday, September 2, last year.

The toddler died on the same day as the tragedy, while Shauna died the following day.

The pair, from Derry in Northern Ireland, were on the way to a birthday celebration for Shauna and her twin sister, Kelly.

A mention hearing into their inquests was held today, Tuesday, January 12, by County Durham's senior coroner Jeremy Chipperfield at Durham Miners’ Hall in Redhills, Durham.

The short session was told the case is to go back to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a decision over whether a woman related to the girls, who was driving at the time, will be charged.

Police are satisfied no other inquiries need to be carried out as part of the investigation into the collision, which saw a total of seven people taken to hospital

Mr Chipperfield said he would wait for further details to decide whether a final hearing should be held or whether other proceedings will need to go ahead first and the case is put on hold.

He adjourned the hearing for a further mention on Monday, January 25, at 11.30am at the coroner’s court based in Crook.

A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: “The investigation remains ongoing and a file has been submitted to the CPS.”

Kelsey and Shauna, who are said to be cousins, were laid to rest following a requiem mass at St Joseph’s Church in Galliagh in their home city, while tributes were also left to them close to the scene of the crash.

Mourners wore pink, with some decorated with photos of the girls, while a plane displaying the message “Two beautiful angels left for heaven” flew over their friends and family as they gathered.

Following the funeral service, where images of the pair were put on display, both girls were taken by horse-drawn carriage, one at a time, to their place of rest.

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