Driver detained for police pile-up on first date

A personal trainer who caused a pile-up of police cars after fleeing from them while driving home from a first date has been sentenced to 14 months in a young offender institution.

Seven officers were injured and five police cars damaged in the crash caused by 20-year-old Mazyar Azarbonyad.

It happened on the A1 near Denton Burn, Newcastle, at about 02:30 BST on 9 April.

Azarbonyad, from Stanley in County Durham, previously itted dangerous driving and driving again in the days after the crash despite being given an interim ban.

With the woman he was on a date with in the enger seat, he turned on to the A1 and reached speeds of up to 120 mph before the huge crash near the Denton roundabout.

Newcastle Crown Court heard she had pleaded with him to stop, fearing he would kill someone.

The woman, in her 20s, was initially arrested on suspicion of aiding dangerous driving and drug offences, but was later cautioned for possessing drugs and released without charge.

The court previously heard how Azarbonyad sped away from officers who tried to stop him in Swalwell, Gateshead, after they noticed a defective rear light on his BMW.

Azarbonyad initially pulled over for police, the court was told, but when an officer approached his car on foot he said "nah" and made off at speed, according to his enger.

Penny Hall, defending, said he claimed his enger told him she had drugs on her and he "panicked".

But Judge Tim Gittins said: "I am satisfied you made a deliberate decision to make off substantially because of your unlawful driving position."

Azarbonyad was spotted by police again about 30 minutes later and failed to stop for a second time, nearly losing control on a bend and hitting a kerb as he accelerated on to the A1 where the judge said his speed reached a "hair-raising level".

Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said Azarbonyad's enger told him several times to stop, adding: "In her opinion, she thought he could have killed someone."

When officers moved to contain the BMW, Azarbonyad slammed on his brakes in the middle of the four-lane carriageway, going from 119 mph to a standstill, which caused a pile-up of police vehicles behind, the court heard.

Mr Perks said a number of police officers were trapped in the vehicles and some were "rendered unconscious".

"It was clearly a very traumatic incident," he said.

One officer suffered soft tissue damage to her knee and nerve damage to her back, requiring her to remain in hospital for three days, while another needed stitches to his forehead, the court heard.

Superintendent Billy Mulligan, of Northumbria Police, said four of the seven officers who were injured in the crash remained off work.

In the days that followed his release on bail Azarbonyad continued to drive to the gym where he worked, later being arrested at a petrol station.

Ms Hall told the court he had lost his job after police turned up there.

The court heard Azarbonyad arrived in the UK after fleeing his home country Iran when he was 14, but lost his uncle during the journey and has never seen him again.

After time in immigration centres and foster placements he was granted leave to remain and refugee status.

Ms Hall said: "Quite frankly, he is terrified at the prospect of going to prison."

Azarbonyad only had a provisional driving licence, had no car insurance and had paid for three driving lessons.

Alongside the dangerous driving charge, he pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to stop a motor vehicle when required, six counts of no insurance and six further motoring offences.

The court was told he already had eight points on his licence from two previous convictions in September 2023.

Sentencing, Judge Gittins told him "you made a deliberate decision to make off" and "it is nothing short of a miracle" there were not multiple fatalities.

The A1 was closed in both directions across the River Tyne for almost 13 hours following the crash.

The judge said: "You should have been nowhere near the driving seat of any vehicle that night, let alone one such as a BMW X5, a large and powerful SUV."

Azarbonyad, who was sentenced to custody in a young offender institution as he is under 22 years of age, was also banned from driving for three years and would have to take an extended test to receive a licence.

Correction: This article was updated on 3 June after police confirmed the enger in the car had been released from arrest and would face no charges.

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