Man admits dangerous driving after seven officers hurt in crash (2025)

A personal trainer who caused a pile-up of police cars as he fled from them while he was taking a woman home from a first date has admitted dangerous driving.

Seven officers were injured and five police cars damaged when the force vehicles crashed into each other on the A1 near the Newcastle and Gateshead border at about 02:30 BST on 9 April.

Mazyar Azarbonyad, from Stanley in County Durham, admitted a series of driving offences when he appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court.

The 20-year-old also admitted driving again in the days after the crash despite being given an interim ban.

Jack Lovell, for Azarbonyad, said: "He tells me at that point it is immediate panic."

He said his client had been aware of the fact he had no insurance and that the woman he was with had made reference to being in "possession of cannabis".

Mr Lovell said Azarbonyad, who came to the UK from Iran aged 15 or 16 and had no previous convictions, was later seen approaching the A1 and was pursued by police.

The serious collision involving five police vehicles and another car happened near the Denton roundabout.

The court heard Azarbonyad had eventually slowed down after being surrounded by police vehicles.

Helicopter footage showed his vehicle was "essentially at a stop" when an unmarked police Volvo, which had earlier reached speeds of 135mph, hit them at about 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."

He added Azarbonyad, who is self-employed, had shown genuine remorse for his actions and had been "very foolish" to get back behind the wheel just two days after the original incident.

Magistrates were told he had continued to drive on four further occasions, despite being told not to as part of his bail conditions, as he also admitted driving without insurance and a licence after his arrest.

The court heard he had driven a red Hyundai i10 to work at a gym in Newcastle city centre.

Police spotted Azarbonyad on a garage forecourt and arrested him before he told them about other times he had driven since the crash.

Simon Worthy, prosecuting, said: "One would have thought as a matter of common sense... that you would have been a bit more sensible about your activities, having been so lucky to get out of an accident only two days before.

"But no, no, you continue to stick two fingers up."

Azarbonyad, of Sylvia Terrace, was granted conditional bail and is due to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on 20 May.

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