Father of Teen Killed in A66 Crash Arrested After Court Absence

Police have issued an arrest warrant for Gye Worthy, the father of a teenager who died in a fatal A66 crash, after he failed to appear in court for sentencing. Worthy, 40, was due to be sentenced for assaulting a funeral celebrant and resisting arrest during his son Cole's cremation service on September 9. He also faces separate charges of shoplifting and possessing drugs.

Worthy reportedly attacked Paul Maull, 46, at Teesside Crematorium after becoming enraged that his name was not mentioned quickly enough in the eulogy for his 17-year-old son, Cole. Cole Worthy died alongside four others when their car collided head-on with a police vehicle on the A66 in August, an incident that also claimed the lives of two police officers, PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37.

During the funeral service, Worthy allegedly grabbed Mr. Maull, dragged him, and threatened him in front of mourners. He subsequently pleaded guilty to assault, resisting arrest, and a separate theft offense. Teesside magistrates were also informed that Worthy had missed a compulsory appointment with probation officers for a pre-sentence report concerning the funeral incident. His solicitor stated she had no explanation for his absence.

The bench chairwoman issued a warrant not backed for bail, meaning Worthy is to be held in police custody until he can be brought before the court. His most recent alleged offenses occurred while he was on bail. On September 22, he is accused of stealing food and alcohol from a Co-op store in Middlesbrough. Court documents also indicate charges of possessing zopiclone and pregabalin on October 6.

The fatal crash occurred in the early hours of August 22. Cole Worthy and his associates were reportedly seeking revenge after Worthy's home was targeted in a ram-raid incident, believed to be part of a gangland feud. Minutes later, another vehicle rammed a car parked at Theo Rae's home, pushing it into the property. Rae, along with Jakub Matusiak, 23; Makai Saddington, 18; and Michael Cahill, 23, were all pronounced dead at the scene.

Their Volkswagen Passat was spotted by police and pursued for nearly seven minutes. The vehicle then entered the A66 traveling the wrong way, apparently in an attempt to evade officers. Police abandoned the pursuit, but seconds later, the Passat collided with a marked armed response vehicle carrying PCs Blades and Clough. The incident has been linked to drug-related gang activity on Teesside.

PC Clough had a prior military career and served with various police forces before joining Cleveland Police. His family remembered him as a hero. PC Blades, a father of two, had previously been an English teacher before joining the police and was involved in youth football coaching. His wife described him as her beloved husband, best friend, and a devoted father.