A man who stole a car and crashed it into a care home, causing a 94-year-old woman to be trapped in rubble with a broken neck, has been sentenced to prison. Sam Asgari-Tabar, 21, and his accomplice Reece Parish, were speeding over 100mph while attempting to escape police in the stolen vehicle. The car lost control and collided with Highcliffe Care Home in Sunderland, injuring several elderly residents.
The 94-year-old woman was trapped under a collapsing ceiling, resulting in severe injuries including a fractured vertebrae. Firefighters had to rescue her from the rubble. Newcastle Crown Court revealed that the care home suffered £260,000 in damages and incurred a loss of £411,000.
Asgari-Tabar, who was already prohibited from driving due to previous drug driving offenses, received a sentence of five years and eight months for robbery and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was also handed a seven-year and seven-month driving ban. Parish, 21, was sentenced to three years and one month for robbery and an additional offense related to violent disorder during the Sunderland riots.
Judge Stephen Earl described the incident as one of the most severe cases he had encountered in his legal career. He emphasized the impact on the elderly residents who were left vulnerable and injured by the reckless actions of Asgari-Tabar and Parish.
The crime unfolded when Asgari-Tabar and Parish went to purchase a BMW. After negotiating the price down to £1,600, they requested a lift to a cashpoint to withdraw the money, which they never had. Instead, they deceived the seller and drove off with the car when the opportunity arose.
The stolen car incident traumatized the victim, who was left stranded and later reported the crime to the authorities. The care home suffered extensive damage, causing chaos and injuries to residents. The son of the 94-year-old victim expressed the profound impact on his mother’s health and well-being due to the incident.
Several other elderly residents also sustained injuries during the crash, leading to some having to relocate from the care home due to the aftermath of the collision. Asgari-Tabar and Parish, with their history of criminal offenses, admitted to the robbery of the car and faced legal consequences for their actions.
Despite remorse expressed by Asgari-Tabar and Parish’s defense of his youth, the severity of the incident and its lasting effects on the victims remain significant. The community and families affected by the care home crash continue to deal with the repercussions of the reckless behavior displayed by the perpetrators.