Driver who caused horror crash with five police cars learns fate - updates

A personal trainer who admitted to driving dangerously after seven police officers were injured in a car crash has been sentenced to 14 months at a young offenders' institution. Mazyar

Azarbonyad, of Syliva Terrace in Stanley, County Durham, admitted to a series of driving offences after an incident on the A1 in which his BMW was pursued by police. Officers had initially

tried to stop the 20-year-old because a rear light was defective, but he sped away, with the chase continuing until a serious collision near junction 75 at the Denton roundabout. Five police

vehicles were badly damaged and seven officers required hospital treatment during the April 9 incident. He was given a 14-month sentence in a young offenders institution today and has been

banned from driving for three years after Newcastle Crown Court heard it was a "miracle that no one was seriously injured". _THIS IS A LIVE BLOG. FOLLOW BELOW FOR UPDATES..._

12:53Jeremy Armstrong AZARBONYAD 'PANICKED' WHEN PASSENGER SAID SHE HAD DRUGS Penny Hall, mitigating for Azarbonyad, said he had "panicked" when his passenger Courtney

Redfern told him that she had some drugs with her and that had resulted in him leaving the scene at speed. Police dashcam footage showed that all the vehicles had managed to stop on the A1

apart from the one which collided with the back of his vehicle at speed, she added. But her client accepted that the collision had been caused by his dangerous driving up to that point. She

had asked for his sentence be suspended so that he could work under the guidance of the probation service. 12:21Jeremy Armstrong 'SHEER LUCK' THAT AZARBONYAD DIDN'T KILL

ANYONE IN A1 SMASH Northumbria Police have said it is "sheer luck" Azarbonyad didn't kill anyone in the incident on April 9, with Superintendent Billy Mulligan branding his

actions "reckless". The Superintendent said: “It is sheer luck that Mazyar Azarbonyad did not kill anyone that day with his reckless actions. What should have been a simple stop

turned into him driving incredibly dangerously in a bid to get away from officers. He showed absolutely zero regard for the safety of anyone else that morning, and his decision-making behind

the wheel put lives at risk. "I would like to recognise the bravery of the officers involved in the pursuit and subsequent collision on the A1. While three officers have been able to

return to duty, four of our colleagues remain off work – and I wish them all the best in their recovery. "They were simply doing their job, protecting the public from the actions of

someone who was not even qualified or insured to drive. We have a zero-tolerance approach to this type of behaviour, and we are committed to bringing offenders to justice and ensuring our

roads as safe as possible." Once Azarbonyad’s disqualification period of three years and seven months has expired, he must also sit an extended retest should he ever wish to drive

lawfully again in the future. 12:11KEY EVENT AZARBONYAD HAD THREE DRIVING LESSONS BEFORE APRIL 9 INCIDENT The court heard that the defendant had only had three driving lessons and should not

have been driving on the night as he did not have a full licence. 11:33KEY EVENT AZARBONYAD IS SENTENCED TO 14 MONTHS IN YOUNG OFFENDERS INSTITUTION Azarbonyad has been handed a 14-month

sentence in a young offenders institution. The court heard that Courtney, of Gateshead, was begging him to stop as he reached speeds of 120mph with the police cars in pursuit. He then pulled

up in an emergency stop, going from 119 mph to stop with a police vehicle colliding with the back of the vehicle. He was also banned from driving for three years. He was due to be sentenced

last month but his case was adjourned for checks on his driving record. The court heard today that he did have eight points on his licence for driving without insurance after being

convicted in 2024. 11:17Liam Doyle AZARBONYAD EMIGRATED TO UK AS TEEN Jack Lovell who represented Azarbonyad in court during his previous experience, said he moved to the UK as a teen. He

emigrated to the country from Iran when he was aged 15 or 16. The court also heard he has no previous convictions. 10:41Liam Doyle WHAT HAS AZARBONYAD ADMITTED? Azarbonyad has admitted to

driving dangerously and other charges related to the April 9 incident. He has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop twice and having no licence and no insurance during the

crash. He has also admitted to driving despite having been handed an interim ban in the days following the incident. 10:01KEY EVENT AZARBONYAD ARRIVES AT COURT Azarbonyad has arrived at

Newcastle Crown. Pictures from photographers stationed outside the courthouse show he is dressed in workout gear. 09:31Liam Doyle SENTENCING DUE TO TAKE PLACE AFTER DELAY Azarbonyad's

sentencing this morning comes after a delay to court proceedings, with his sentence initially meant to have been delivered on May 20. Newcastle Crown Court postponed sentencing until today

in order for his driving record to be investigated. 09:00Liam Doyle WOMAN WHOSE FIRST DATE ENDED IN A1 HORROR CRASH WITH MULTIPLE COP CARS PICTURED A mum-of-two whose first date ended in a

horror A1 crash resulting in seven police officers rushed to hospital has been pictured for the first time. Courtney Redfern, 27, was being dropped off at her home by fitness coach Mazyar

Azarbonyad, 20, after their first date on April 9, when cops tried to stop his BMW M5. The young mum, from Newcastle, pleaded with her date to pull over, but despite her protests, Azarbonyad

put his foot down and led officers on a shocking high-speed pursuit through Gateshead and the A1 towards Newcastle. _WOMAN WHOSE FIRST DATE ENDED IN A1 HORROR CRASH WITH MULTIPLE COP CARS

PICTURED_ 08:56KEY EVENT AZARBONYAD WAS DRIVING DAYS AFTER A1 CRASH The court heard that Azarbonyad was back behind the wheel, driving a red Hyundai on April 11, 12, 13 and 15 to get to work

at a gym in Newcastle, despite being warned not to drive and having no licence or insurance.