Second man pleads guilty to stealing car that crashed into care home

A second man has admitted stealing a BMW which later crashed into a care home during a police chase, with two elderly residents dying soon after.

The car, which was being test driven, ploughed into Highcliffe Care Home in Sunderland on 10 July, injuring residents and damaging the building.

Reece Parish, 21, of Fordham Road in Sunderland, joined his co-accused Sam Asgari-Tabar, 21, of no fixed address, in pleading guilty to robbery - but pleaded not guilty to kidnapping the woman who was in the car at the time.

The pair were remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced on 17 October.

The Crown Prosecution Service indicated it would not proceed with the kidnap charges against the pair and that those alleged offences would lie on file.

Northumbria Police confirmed no criminal proceedings would be brought in relation to the deaths of the two care home residents.

Parish appeared via a videolink from prison to admit robbery.

Asgari-Tabar previously admitted robbery and causing serious injury by dangerous driving to an elderly care home resident who suffered spinal fractures.

He also pleaded not guilty to kidnapping.

Northumbria Police officers had been following the BMW 3-series, which had been reported stolen from an address in Fenham, Newcastle, at about 21:20 BST.

Police were authorised to pursue the vehicle, which crashed into the care home in Witherwack about 15 minutes later.

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.

Judge Robert Spragg said: "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."

Ch Supt Mark Hall said it had been a "shocking incident".

"The actions of both men that night were incredibly reckless."