A 20 year old personal trainer has been detained for 14 months in a young offenders’ institution after pleading guilty to the offence of dangerous driving.In the early hours of April 9, 2025, Mazyar Azarbonyad was taking Courtney Redfern home when he failed to stop for the police and drove off at speed. The resulting chaos left seven police officers requiring hospital treatment and five police cars seriously damaged.
Police spotted Azarbonyad driving a BMW X5 over the speed limit and with defective rear lights. He stopped for the police at first, but as an officer approached the BMW on foot Azarbonyad suddenly drove away.
He was spotted again about 30 minutes later, but failed to stop. He drove off at speed, lost control of the car at a bend, hitting a kerb, and then sped down the A1 at 120mph. The police gave chase, and Azarbonyad braked from 119mph to 0mph in an emergency stop, causing a pile-up in which police officers were injured and several cars were wrecked. Judge Tim Gittins, in the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, said it was a miracle there were not multiple fatalities. Azarbonyad pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. He had previously been stopped in 2023 for driving without a valid licence or insurance.
Dangerous driving is an offence that carries up to 2 years imprisonment and a minimum disqualification of 12 months with an extended re-test. If you are accused of dangerous driving, solicitors experienced in defending similar cases can provide good advice and support during the legal proceedings. At Auriga Advocates, we have a good track record and a vast experience of defending all types of driving offences. Get in touch with us, and let’s see how we can support you through your case.