Men in court over stolen car care home crash

Eight people were taken to hospital after a car hit Highcliffe Care Home in Sunderland

A driver has admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving after crashing a stolen BMW into a care home while being pursued by police.

Two elderly residents died soon after the car ploughed into Highcliffe Care Home in Sunderland on 10 July.

Appearing at Newcastle Crown Court via video link, Sam Asgari-Tabar, 21, of no fixed address, admitted robbery and causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and denied a charge of kidnapping a woman who was in the BMW which he was test driving.

Co-accused Reece Parish, 21, of Fordham Road, Sunderland, did not enter pleas to charges of robbery and kidnap.

Both were remanded in custody and will appear at the same court on 19 August.

Northumbria Police said officers were alerted to reports of a stolen BMW in Fenham, Newcastle, on the evening of 10 July and a suspect vehicle was spotted in the Sunderland area 15 minutes later.

A police chase followed, which ended with the BMW crashing into the care home.

Two days later, two care home residents, a woman in her 80s and another in her 90s, died.

Police said eight other residents required hospital treatment after the crash which caused extensive damage to the home.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.