Woman, 94, dug out of rubble after crash, court hears

A 94-YEAR-OLD woman suffered a broken neck and spine and had to be dug out of rubble when a car thief smashed into a care home with so much force a ceiling collapsed on top of her.

- ROB KENNEDY

Sam Asgari-Tabar was trying to flee from police in a BMW he had stolen with Reece Parish and had topped 100mph in a bid to get away.

As he approached Highcliffe Care Home, on Whitchurch Road, in Witherwack, Sunderland, he lost control and the car smashed into the building at high speed. Newcastle Crown Court heard the impact was so great it caused the first floor to collapse in on the ground floor. We reported at the time how two women died after the crash, but their deaths are not part of the prosecution case.

The court heard a 94-year-old, who has dementia, suffered fractured vertebrae and had to be pulled out of the rubble by firefighters. Several other elderly residents were also injured and the building suffered £260,000 of damage and the home lost £411,000, the court heard.