Latest news with #CourtneyRedfern
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Daily Record
Woman horrified as 'date' sped away from police and crashed causing multi-car pile-up
Courtney Redfern was on a date with Mazyar Azarbonyad when he sped away from police at 120 mph and caused multi-car pile-up on a busy motorway. A 'first date ' caught up in a horrifying A1 crash that left seven officers in hospital has said she "wished it never happened", sources close to the case have said. Courtney Redfern, 26, from Gateshead, was on a first date with Mazyar Azarbonyad, 20 when he sped away from police after being stopped shortly before the crash. She was begging him to stop as Azarbonyad sped away from police at up to 120mph, with five police cars in pursuit. He continued to race along the motorway before slamming on the brakes 'in a matter of metres' before a police vehicle went into the back of the BMW 5 Series, Newcastle Crown court heard. It was revealed Azarbonyad had never passed his driving test and only had three lessons before he purchased the powerful 4x4 on finance. It is understood Courtney didn't know about his driving record and the pair never met again after that night, reports the Mirror. A source, who requested to remain anonymous said: "She wishes it had never happened. "She was caught up in this through no fault of her own." Courtney met Azarbonyad the day before the date and he 'panicked' when she told him that she had drugs on her. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Azarbonyad was sentenced to 14 months in a youth detention centre. Judge Tim Gittins told him previously: "It is nothing short of a miracle that no one was seriously injured and there were not multiple fatalities. Your dangerous driving was prolonged, persistent and deliberate. It is difficult to imagine a worse case of dangerous driving without serious injury or death being caused.' The smash caused 'regional traffic chaos' which would have cost 'tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage'. It is thought that the damage the vehicles alone was at least £250,000. Judge Gittins added: "You should not have been anywhere near the driving seat of any vehicle let alone a BMW X5, a large and powerful SUV. 'As other police vehicles joined the pursuit your speed continued to rise by a hair raising amount close to 120mph. Your passenger pleaded with you to slow down believing you were going to kill someone. Just as dangerous as your high speeds was your action to break rapidly coming to a sudden stop causing a catastrophic collision. The judge added that the car could not be reclaimed as he had no insurance. He was banned from driving for three years and seven months after he admitted having eight points on his licence for driving uninsured in 2023. Azarbonyad said 'Nah!" to Courtney as he made off from the police, the court heard. Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, told how he had failed to stop twice for police prior to the crash. "At about 1.50am on April 9, PC Wilson saw the BMW X5 of the defendant travelling at speed in Swalwell, Gateshead," he said. "The defendant was required to stop but made off towards Swalwell Bank. He was then spotted again at 2.15am in the area and PC Wilson pulled over to allow traffic units trained in pursuit to take over. "The defendant drove off again at speed and was travelling in excess of 100mph on the A1. He reached speeds of 120mph and then attempted to give way to the police. "Courtney Redfern had met the defendant for the first time that evening and he told her that he drove off due to a defective light. She told him that she had a small amount of drugs." She accepted a police caution for possession of cannabis for personal use. Azarbonyad told police that his driving had been 'sh**', Mr Perks added. He also drove without a licence and no insurance on four occasions after being granted bail at his first appearance before magistrates in April. Penny Hall, mitigating, stated that he had fled Iran when he was just 14 years and had been without any parental guidance since he was taken into care in the UK. He left when he was 18. Azarbonyad had left Iran with his uncle, but the pair lost each other en route and he had been alone ever since. She went on: "He was not seen at all by anyone once he left the care system at 18 in this country, apart from the occasional letter and phone call, it ended there. "He had no direction provided from there and no support, no guidance. He has shown a good work ethic and worked as a personal trainer but lost his job as a result of these offences when police turned up to arrest him. "He is terrified of the prospect of going to prison." He had 'panicked' when his passenger told him that she had some drugs with her and that had resulted in him leaving the scene at speed, she added. Speaking after the case, Supt Billy Mulligan, of Northumbria Police, said: 'It is sheer luck that Mazyar Azarbonyad did not kill anyone 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. 'I would like to recognise the bravery of the officers involved. While three officers returned to duty, four remain off work. They were simply doing their job, protecting the public from the actions of someone who was not qualified or insured to drive." The judge stressed Ms Redfern had no idea of Azarbonyad's driving record. It is understood that they did not see each other again. When asked by the Mirror, Azarbonyad smiled when asked about if he saw her again.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Woman on first date with man who put seven police officers in hospital after high speed chase 'wishes it had never happened'
The woman who found herself on a horror first date with a man who put seven police officers in hospital after a high speed motorway chase 'wishes it had never happened'. Mother-of-two Courtney Redfern, 27, was being driven home on April 9 in Gateshead, Tyne by Mazyar Azarbonyad, 20, in his BMW Five Series when officers attempted to pull him over due to a faulty rear light. Despite Courtney's protests, Iranian-born Azarbonyad - who had no licence or insurance - put his foot down and led police on a terrifying high speed pursuit through Gateshead and onto the A1M towards Newcastle. Supported from above by the force helicopter, four police cars performed a tactical stop manoeuvre, boxing in Azarbonyad's car and bringing it to a halt. But seconds later an unmarked police Volvo slammed into the cars at 80mph, unaware they were stationary in the carriageway and causing a scene described as 'carnage' by witnesses. Caught in the centre of it was Courtney, who like her date, miraculously escaped without any major injuries. A source close to the 27-year-old today revealed that she wishes she had never been a part of the nightmare collision. "[Courtney] wishes that it had never happened. She was caught up in this through no fault of her own,' they told The Mirror. The newspaper also reported today that Courtney had only met Azarbonyad the day before the horrific smash in April and that he had 'panicked' when she told him that she had drugs in her possession. Another source close to Courtney last month told MailOnline that she and her family had been left 'traumatised' by the ordeal. They said: 'It was a first date and no one could have expected an outcome like that from what should have been an ordinary evening out. 'It's fortunate that no one was killed when looking at the wreckage left behind, it was all anyone who saw it could talk about. 'She's recovering but it was obviously a major shock.' It was also reported today that Courtney had only met Azarbonyad (above) the day before the horrific smash on April 9 and that he 'panicked' when she told him that she had drugs on her Courtney was arrested alongside Azarbonyad on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving at the time. The young mum from Newcastle was told she would face no further action, but later accepted a police caution for possession of cannabis for personal use. Gym-goer Courtney, who in the past has run a pub in the Gateshead area, is not believed to have continued to see Azarbonyad after the collision. At a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on May 25 Azarbonyad simply laughed when asked whether he was still in touch with his date from the disastrous night of April 9. Earlier this month Azarbonyad pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, two counts of failing to stop, having no licence and driving with no insurance. He was jailed for 14 months with a three years and seven months road ban. The maximum sentence for dangerous driving is two years. Judge Gittins said Azarbonyad's speed reached a 'hair raising' level, adding: 'It is nothing short of a miracle that no one was more seriously injured or that there were not multiple fatalities. 'It is difficult to imagine a worse single offence of dangerous driving without serious injury or death being caused.' Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told the court it was 'truly remarkable' nobody was seriously injured. Mr Perks added: 'He was pursued by a number of police vehicles with lights illuminated. Judge Gittins said Azarbonyad's speed reached a 'hair raising' level and that it was 'nothing short of a miracle' that there were not multiple fatalities 'The lead police pursuit vehicle had dash cam footage which showed the defendant travelling in excess of 100mph and them approaching speeds of 120mph in an attempt to get away from the police. 'As the defendant apporached the junction of the A186 he chose to abandon his attempt to escape but rapidly decelerated from 119mph to a complete stop in the middle of the carriageway. 'As a consequence the pursuing police vehicles were forced to emergency brake in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid serious collision. 'The collision was captured on CCTV footage from a police air support helicopter.' The court heard that despite the devastation he caused on April 9, Azarbonyad was back behind the wheel on April 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16, which he claimed was essential for him to get to work. Penny Hall, defending, said Azarbonyad travelled from Iran to the UK with his uncle, who he lost contact with during the journey and has not seen any of his family since. Miss Hall said Azarbonyad spent time in the care system until he reached 18 when he was assisted with getting a tenancy for his home, which he will lose if he goes to prison and has no real support. Azarbonyad, who came to the UK from Iran aged 14, was granted leave to remain as a refugee.
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Driver jailed for A1 crash that wrecked five police cars
A personal trainer who was on a first date when he caused a 'catastrophic collision' on the A1 that wrecked five police cars has been jailed for 14 months. A judge at Newcastle crown court on Monday told Mazyar Azarbonyad, 20, it was 'nothing short of a miracle that no one was more seriously injured or that there were not multiple fatalities' in the incident that led to seven officers needing hospital treatment and caused traffic chaos across the north-east of England. The court heard that Azarbonyad failed to stop when pursued by police and at one point reached a speed of more than 120mph in his BMW X5. Courtney Redfern, who was being driven home by Azarbonyad after a date, told him several times to stop, according to Jolyon Perks, prosecuting. The barrister added: 'In her opinion, she thought he could have killed someone.' At an earlier hearing, Azarbonyad pleaded guilty to dangerous driving over the crash on the A1 near Denton Burn, Newcastle, in the early hours of 9 April. One police officer suffered soft tissue damage to her knee and nerve damage to her back, requiring her to remain in hospital for three days. Another needed stitches for a cut to his forehead. Dramatic pictures the following day showed wrecked police cars on one of the busiest stretches of road in the north east. Judge Tim Gittins said: 'It led to regional traffic chaos, misery for many travellers, not to mention the substantial loss of work and study hours for those that were caught up in the aftermath of what you caused.' Police wanted to stop Azarbonyad because he was driving over the speed limit and had defective rear lights. The court heard he had bought the vehicle on finance despite having a provisional driving licence, no insurance and later admitting to officers he had paid for only three driving lessons. The judge said: 'You should have been nowhere near the driving seat of any vehicle that night, let alone one such as a BMW X5, a large and powerful SUV.' Azarbonyad initially pulled over for police but when an officer approached his car on foot he said 'nah' and made off at speed, according to his passenger. When Azarbonyad was interviewed he described his driving as 'shit', but did not accept he braked harshly and said the police chasing him were travelling too fast, Perks told the court. In the days that followed his release on bail he continued to drive to the gym where he worked before he was arrested at a petrol station. Supt Billy Mulligan, of Northumbria police, said four of the seven officers who were injured in the crash remained off work. He added: 'It is sheer luck that Mazyar Azarbonyad did not kill anyone that day with his reckless actions.' The court heard that the defendant arrived in the UK after fleeing his home country Iran when he was 14 and settled in Stanley, County Durham.
The Sun
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Driver on first date jailed after he put SEVEN cops in hospital in huge pile-up while trying to escape officers
A DRIVER on a first date has been jailed after he put seven cops in hospital in a huge pile-up while trying to flee officers. Mazyar Azarbonyad was taking Courtney Redfern home in his powerful BMW on the A41 in Newcastle when police gave chase. 8 8 8 8 The 20-year-old smashed into five cop cars - leaving them destroyed - and wrecked his own car in the horror crash. Shocking photos showed the aftermath of the collision after one of the police cars had its roof torn off. Seven officers were taken to hospital for non-life threatening injuries, while Azarbonyad and his date were unharmed. The Iran-born personal trainer, who came to the UK in around 2020, has now been jailed for 14 months. He admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop twice and having no licence and no insurance during the crash. Azarbonyad also pleaded guilty to a string of other offences, including driving without insurance or a licence on several occasions after the crash. Newcastle Crown Court heard the horror unfolded on April 9 at around 2.30am. Police had initially tried to stop Azarbonyad in Gateshead as one of his rear lights was defective but he sped off. A high-speed chase ensued as the BMW driver made his way to the A1 surrounded by cop cars. He then "rapidly decelerated from 119mph" to stop in the middle of the carriageway - forcing the police to emergency brake. An unmarked police Volvo, which had earlier reached speeds of 135mph, then hit Azarbonyad and the other cars at about 80mph. Jack Lovell, for Azarbonyad, said: "From there, there is something of a domino effect - it flips over and then the other police vehicles are also involved." Mum-of-two reportedly begged Azarbonyad to stop during the pursuit. The pair miraculously managed to escape the wreckage without any major injuries. A female police officer suffered soft tissue injuries to her knee and nerve damage to her back and she was in hospital for three days. While a male officer was left with a cut to his head, concussion and whiplash. Following the crash, which shut the busy road for 12 hours, Azarbonyad got back behind the wheel just two days later - despite having no licence or insurance. He continued to drive on four further occasions after being told not to as part of his bail conditions. 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." 8 8 8 8
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Personal trainer on first date when he caused A1 pile-up that left seven police officers in hospital is jailed
A personal trainer who put seven police officers in hospital following a 120mph crash while on the way home from a first date has been jailed. Mazyar Azarbonyad was giving Courtney Redfern a lift back in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, in his BMW X5 series, when officers attempted to pull him over due to a faulty rear light.
