Man who was ‘on first date’ admits dangerous driving after crash involving five police cars on A1
A 20-year-old man has admitted dangerous driving after seven officers were injured in a crash involving five police vehicles and a car.
Personal trainer Mazyar Azarbonyad was taking a woman home after a first date when the crash occurred on the A1 on Tyneside in the early hours of 9 April, Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard.
He appeared at court on Saturday to admit a series of driving offences, including driving without insurance several times after the crash.
Azarbonyad, who was driving a powerful BMW, failed to stop after police had concerns over how the vehicle was being driven in the Whickham area of Gateshead.
Mazyar Azarbonyad leaving court on Saturday
Pictures of the scene showed the BMW and debris strewn across the road. One of the police cars had its roof torn off.
The collision led to major delays as the road was closed.
The seven police officers have all now been discharged from hospital.
Pic: PA
After the crash, Azarbonyad was granted bail that included conditions telling him not to drive.
He told the court that just days after the crash he drove on four occasions between 11 and 15 April to get to work at a gym in Newcastle, despite being warned not to drive and having no licence or insurance.
Prosecutor Simon Worthy told the court he thought the defendant would have been “a bit more sensible” about his actions, adding: “But no, you continue to stick two fingers up.”
Pic: PA
Pic: PA
BMW was ‘essentially at a stop’
Defending, solicitor Jack Lovell, told the court the defendant had shown genuine remorse for his actions.
He said he had been “very foolish” to get back behind the wheel after the crash, but had made full and further admissions about driving to work.
Mr Lovell added that Azarbonyad had panicked after catching the attention of police on the night of the crash, as he was aware he had no insurance and the woman had made reference to being in “possession of cannabis”.
“The defendant knew he should have pulled over immediately,” Mr Lovell said, adding that after getting on the A1 he did eventually slow down, put his indicators on and gestured out of the window with his hand to show he was braking, the court heard.
The scene on the A1 from above. Pic: PA
Mr Lovell said helicopter footage shows the BMW was “essentially at a stop” when an unmarked police Volvo, which had earlier reached speeds of 135mph, collided with the back of the car at around 80mph.
“From there, there is something of a domino effect, it flips over and then the other police vehicles are also involved,” Mr Lovell said.
“I am not in any way trying to excuse – he should not have been driving the vehicle, it is his driving that has led to the incident on the A1.
“He accepts that by way of his guilty plea.”
Read more from Sky News:
Bereaved family faces ‘stressful’ eight-week wait for funeral
‘Andrew Tate phenomena’ surges in schools
Northumbria Police said a woman in her 20s would face no further action in relation to her arrest on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving.
However, she was bailed over suspected drug possession offences.
Azarbonyad was granted conditional bail and is due to be sentenced on 20 May at Newcastle Crown Court.
Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has died after being attacked in prison.
Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year jail term for multiple sexual offences, including serious crimes against young children and babies at HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire.
He was attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning, sources have confirmed.
West Yorkshire Police said two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
A police van outside Wakefield prison. Pic: YappApp
Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene after prison staff reported the assault to police.
The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added.
A Prison Service spokesperson said they could not comment while the police investigate.
Watkins was previously stabbed in an incident at the same prison in 2023, suffering non life-threatening injuries after he was reportedly taken hostage by three other inmates before being freed by prison officers six hours later.
He was sentenced in December 2013 to 29 years in prison, with a further six years on licence, after admitting 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
Watkins performing in 2004. Pic: PA
Read more from Sky News:
Nova festival survivor dies two years after girlfriend killed
Police try to keep protesters apart at Gaza war demo
He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child sexual abuse videos, some of which he had made himself.
At the time, police described him as a “committed, organised paedophile”.
Having found fame in Welsh rock band Lostprophets, Watkins was arrested after his Pontypridd home was searched on orders of a drug warrant in September 2012.
A large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized during the search.
When sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, the singer was told he was being given an extended sentence – and a judge said his crimes “plumbed new depths of depravity”.
After being caught with a mobile phone behind bars in 2019, he told a court that he was locked up with “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst”.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024