Two police officers were killed in Teesside when their vehicle was struck head-on by a car that had been pursued by police. The five occupants of the car, all young men, died at the scene. Four of the five had a combined total of 37 prior convictions between them, including offenses such as shoplifting, driving violations, and assault.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed when the Volkswagen Passat they were traveling in drove the wrong way along a dual carriageway near Middlesbrough and collided with the officers' marked armed response vehicle. The collision occurred approximately ten seconds after police terminated the pursuit.
Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, and Jakub Matusiak, 23, had all admitted to a series of offenses in the three years preceding the crash. Michael Cahill, 23, was the only occupant of the vehicle without prior convictions.
Records show that Worthy, Saddington, and Rae had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer. Matusiak had admitted to driving without a license or insurance. Rae's convictions included 12 counts of shoplifting, three thefts from vehicles, one theft of a vehicle, two offenses of aggravated vehicle taking, and possession of cannabis. Saddington had been convicted of possessing a Class C drug and a knife in a public place, along with racially aggravated intentional harassment. Worthy had pleaded guilty to four driving offenses, failing to surrender to custody, and using abusive language.
Cleveland Police stated that the men in the car may have had connections to serious and organized criminal activity. In connection with the incident, 12 other individuals have been arrested. These arrests include four on suspicion of participating in an organized crime group, four on suspicion of possessing a firearm, and four accused of possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply.
On the morning of the collision, police received reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously. One, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was observed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The Volkswagen Passat is thought to have been associated with the Volvo's activities. Both vehicles were reportedly operating with cloned number plates, but were detected by automated number plate recognition technology. The Volvo XC60 has since been traced and recovered.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox described the investigation as fast-moving and complex, with significant links to serious and organized criminal activity. He emphasized the duty to investigate the criminal activity that led to the fatal incident and bring those responsible to justice.
Floral tributes have been laid at the crash site. Family members have paid emotional tributes to PC Blades and PC Clough. PC Clough's family called him 'our hero' and 'our superhero,' noting his dedication to public duty. PC Blades' wife described him as 'my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys.' He also recently began coaching youth football teams.
A fundraiser established by the Cleveland Police Federation has raised over £750,000 for the officers' families. The funds will be split equally between the two families, with the federation providing ongoing support.