
Two men face jail after stolen BMW crashed into care home in Sunderland
Two men who admitted stealing a car which then crashed into a care home will not face criminal proceedings over the deaths of two residents.
Sam Asgari-Tabar and Reece Parish were taking a BMW for a test drive when they stole it, with a woman still inside the car.
Police were alerted to the car, which was stolen in the Fenham area of Newcastle, and it was spotted in the Sunderland area 15 minutes later.
But during a police chase Asgari-Tabar crashed the car into Highcliffe Care Home in Witherwack, near Sunderland, injuring eight residents who were treated in hospital for their injuries and seriously damaging the building.
Two days later, the force said a woman in her 90s and a woman in her 80s, neither of whom were in the eight taken to hospital, had died.
Both men have now pleaded guilty to stealing the BMW, and Asgari-Tabar admitted robbery and causing serious injury by dangerous driving to an elderly care home resident who suffered spinal fractures in the crash.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it will not proceed with kidnap charges against both defendants, related to the owner of the BMW. More Trending
And today Northumbria Police confirmed Parish and Asgari-Tabar will not face charges over the deaths of the two women.
The force said: 'Following the incident, two care home residents died a short time later but no criminal proceedings are to be brought in relation to the deaths.'
Judge Robert Spragg said the men will be sentenced on October 17 and he remanded the pair in custody.
He told them: 'You have both very sensibly pleaded guilty to these matters and you will be given credit for that from the sentencing judge in due course.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Mum who killed two teens after smashing into stationary car at 70mph is jailed
MORE: Man admits murdering Leanne Williams found dead at her home in Swansea
MORE: Moment 'one of the worst drivers ever' sends two cars flying in high-speed police chase
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Moment 'murdered' ice cream man 'argues with customer' before stabbing
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video These are the moments leading up to the fatal stabbing of an ice cream man known as 'Mr Smiley' on a suburban north west London street, Metro can reveal. Shazad Khan, 41, was stabbed after he drove through his usual route in Monks Park, Wembley, on Tuesday. The father-of-one was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead soon after ambulance crews arrived at 6.15pm The Arsenal fan with a four year old daughter was well loved in the Wembley community where he was brought up. He was known to give away ice creams to families with littler money and his jolly persona led him to being nicknamed Mr Smiley friends said. Dramatic footage from the scene and obtained by Metro shows Mr Khan in a row with a bearded man in grey jogging bottoms and hoodie who follows him along Monks Road after he had got out of his ice cream van. Raised voices can be heard as the argument escalates with Mr Khan, who is seen wearing a blue apron, then turning his back on the man. Khan was then stabbed moments later. Seconds later he lay dying, with locals coming out of their houses and battling to save his life before police and paramedics were called to the scene. A witness told Metro: 'We all know Shazad around here. Neighbours ran out to try to save him before the paramedics got here. People did their best. We are all devastated. There was an argument that's all we know.' Tributes have poured in for Mr Khan who had five siblings and whose life revolved around his family. Akram, who lived next door to Shazad and his family for 20 years, said he was a doting family man who had cared for his dying father during covid. He told Metro: 'They were our neighbours for 20 years. Lovely people just lovely. We have spoken to his mother, she's in a terrible state she can't fathom what happened. 'The family are originally from Pakistan. Shazad loved football, he was an Arsenal fan and loved and respected by the whole community. He went to the mosque, he went shopping with his family he was a humble man.' Sara, a close friend of Shazad, told Metro she had spoken to him the day before he was killed. She said: 'He was an amazing person. We were speaking about life and how he was holding up. She added: 'He was a good person, always with a smile on his face. He had the best smile. 'He would give free ice cream to kids at the park all the time.' More Trending Forensics officers were on Thursday searching a house on Monks Road. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said: 'Our thoughts remain with Shazad's family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time. 'This incident will rightly cause concern across the community, but intelligence at this stage leads us to believe there is no wider threat to the public.' A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder early Wednesday, and a 31-year-old woman was arrested for conspiracy to murder at the scene. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: US hitwoman Aimee Betro who wore niqab in botched assassination jailed for 30 years MORE: Death threats and 'kamikaze' criminals – security guard lifts lid on UK's shoplifting epidemic MORE: Southport killer Axel Rudakubana wins back prison perks after attacking guard with boiling water


Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Russian anti-war protester found dead in London after asylum claim was rejected
A 26-year-old Russian who protested against Putin's regime has been found dead in London after his asylum bid was rejected. Alexander Frolov was found dead in Acton, west London, on July 28, after waiting for more than a year for an appeal hearing. His friends said they believe he took his own life due to the mental strain and feeling hopeless at the thought of being sent back to Russia. Alexander originally came to the UK under a temporary visa as an agricultural worker in 2021. But when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he could not return home because he 'refused to take part in killing people', his friend Galina Shakirova said. Alexander submitted his asylum application in December 2022, but it was rejected in April 2024, according to the I. He lodged an appeal and was waiting for his hearing to be rescheduled when he died. The Russian Democratic Society described him as a 'dedicated opponent of Putin's regime, a volunteer who gave his time to help others, and a constant presence at anti-war protests'. They said: 'Alexander believed in the possibility of a free and democratic Russia and hoped to one day return to it.' Galina said she met Alexander as they worked as stewards at anti-war rally. She said he was 'kind, generous, quietly dependable', but proving oppression to the UK Home Office was hard. 'Imagine being an opposition activist who knows that returning home almost certainly means prison. You've spoken out publicly. You've worked with organisations labelled in Russia as 'undesirable' or 'extremist',' she said. 'Then you ask for protection – hoping for safety, for a chance to survive. And instead, you're refused.' The Home Office said: 'It is our long-standing policy not to comment on individual cases.' Since 2022, 759 Russians have been granted refugee status in the UK. Another 465 have been refused, and 154 are awaiting decisions. Of these, 98 have been waiting longer than six months. Meanwhile there are thought to be 1,500 political prisoners in Russia. Many have been prosecuted for anti-war activities, with the Kremlin only recently allowing Russians to describe the invasion of Ukraine as a war – instead forcing them to say a 'tactical military operation'. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Moment 'murdered' ice cream man 'argues with customer' before stabbing MORE: Mother of ice cream man fatally stabbed in London left devastated by son's death MORE: It's official, Topshop is coming back to London


Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
US hitwoman who wore niqab in botched assassination jailed for 30 years
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A woman from the US who wore a niqab disguise and tried to shoot a stranger dead in the street has been jailed for 30 years. Aimee Betro, 45, was flown to the UK from Wisconsin in September 2019 by Mohammed Aslam, 59, and Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 31, who orchestrated the murder plot. The dad and son wanted to settle a 'vendetta' against Aslat Mahumad, who is part of a rival family in Birmingham, after they were beaten up at his clothing boutique a year earlier. Betro, described by police as 'fairly unexceptional' wore the niqab and waited outside Mr Mahumad's home on September 7 before approaching his son Sikander Ali. CCTV shows her raising her arm and pulling the trigger at point-blank range. But the gun jammed, and Mr Ali managed to flee. Betro then went to the family home and fired three shots inside the house, which was empty at the time. She flew back to the US days after the bungled assassination attempt and was later extradited to the UK. Betro was found guilty of conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge of illegally importing ammunition. Betro denied any involvement in the failed hit, telling the court she flew to the UK to celebrate her birthday and go to a boat party. She also maintained that a woman described as having an American accent and being small and fat, who bought a BMW linked to the plot, was not her. Betro suggested it must have been 'another American woman' who sounded like her, used her phone, and had almost identical trainers on. The fact that she happened to be around the corner from the shooting minutes later was 'all just a terrible coincidence', she added. Betro, a childhood development and graphic design graduate, was described as 'fairly unexceptional' with no record of any criminal activity. Det Ch Insp Alastair Orencas said: 'On the face of it, a normal-looking individual [but] prepared to do an outrageous, audacious and persistent murder.' More Trending She met Nazir through a dating app and slept with him in King's Cross, London, on a visit to the UK between December 2018 and January 2019. It remains unclear how she became involved in the shooting plot but prosecutors have argued she played a 'leading role'. The court was told she was involved in another of Nazir's plots when she sent three parcels of gun parts and ammunition to the UK a month later. They were addressed to a man named Faris Quayum, whom Nazir was hoping to frame by tipping police off to the delivery. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'I'm on the frontline of the shoplifting epidemic – here's what I deal with daily' MORE: Southport killer Axel Rudakubana wins back prison perks after attacking guard with boiling water MORE: Care home manager jailed for stealing £55,000 from vulnerable residents