Sentencing delay for man who caused A1 police crash
PA MediaThe sentencing of a personal trainer who caused a pile-up of police cars after fleeing from them while taking a woman home from a first date has been delayed after a dispute over his driving record.
Mazyar Azarbonyad, from Sylvia Terrace, in Stanley, County Durham, admitted dangerous driving following the crash on the A1 near the Newcastle and Gateshead border at about 02:30 BST on 9 April.
Seven officers were injured and five police cars were damaged in the crash with the BMW.
Azarbonyad, 20, was due to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court but will now been sentenced on 2 June in order for his driving record to be investigated.
The court previously heard how Azarbonyad sped away from officers who tried to stop him in Swalwell, Gateshead, after they had noticed a defective rear light on his BMW.
With the woman in the passenger seat, he then sped on to the A1 where the major crash happened near the Denton roundabout.
After he was released on police bail, he proceeded to drive from Stanley to a Newcastle city centre gym where he worked and police spotted him filling up his car on a garage forecourt, the court heard.
PA MediaAzarbonyad, already facing one count of dangerous driving and two counts of failing to stop, faced further offences of driving without insurance or a licence on 16 April, seven days after the crash.
But the prosecution stated that having eight points on his licence following two driving offences meant sentencing could not go ahead while further inquiries took place.
Judge Tim Gittins told Azarbonyad he could have conditional bail but that all sentencing options remained open "up to and including custody".
He had previously been bailed by magistrates and had abided by the conditions, the judge was told.
The A1 was closed in both directions across the River Tyne, between Swalwell in Gateshead and Denton, for almost 13 hours following the crash.