The uncle of one of five young men killed in the A66 crash had himself been jailed just months earlier after driving at up to 100mph the wrong way along the same dual carriageway during a police pursuit.
Aaron Saddington, 23, was sentenced to 20 months in prison in June after admitting dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
The court heard that during the May 6 incident, Saddington attempted to escape officers by entering the A66 eastbound carriageway in the wrong direction, putting himself directly in the path of oncoming traffic.
He reportedly reached speeds of around 100mph, forcing police to deploy several patrols amid fears of a potentially catastrophic collision.
Saddington was eventually stopped and arrested.
The case has taken on added significance following Saturday’s devastating crash on the same road, in which his 18-year-old nephew Makai Saddington was among seven people killed.
Seven killed in A66 collision
Makai was travelling in a Volkswagen Passat alongside Michael Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Cole Worthy, 17, when the vehicle collided head-on with a police armed response vehicle.
All five occupants of the Passat died.
Firearms officers PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, who were travelling in the police vehicle, were also killed.
Police have said officers had been pursuing the Passat but the pursuit was abandoned shortly before it entered the A66. The fatal collision happened seconds later.
The circumstances surrounding the crash now form part of a major investigation involving Cleveland Police, the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit.
Police announced five further arrests following overnight operations, taking the total number of arrests connected with the wider investigation to 17.
Two men have also appeared in court charged with offences including possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and drug-related offences.
Police investigating organised crime links
Detectives are examining events leading up to the collision and possible links to serious and organised criminal activity.
One line of enquiry concerns an incident shortly before the crash in which a Volvo XC60 allegedly rammed a property connected to the family of one of those in the Passat.
The investigation remains ongoing.
The revelation about Aaron Saddington’s earlier conviction comes after the court heard how his own dangerous driving unfolded on the same A66 only months before the fatal collision.
During that pursuit, police responded to reports of erratic driving before Saddington allegedly drove through a red light at more than 50mph.
He subsequently entered the dual carriageway against the flow of traffic at around 1am and accelerated to speeds approaching 100mph.
The court was told it was fortunate nobody was killed.
Saddington’s case and Saturday’s fatal crash have also renewed attention on social-media footage depicting dangerous driving and police pursuits.
Accounts associated with some of those killed have reportedly featured footage of reckless driving, while some content has subsequently been removed from social-media platforms.
A fundraising appeal supporting the families of PCs Blades and Clough has meanwhile attracted significant public support following the deaths of the two officers.
