CHAOS AT COLE WORTHY’S FUNERAL..! – Man arrested after reported disturbance erupts as loved ones gather to farewell 17-year-old k-illed in A66 tragedy
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Cole Worthy, 17, was killed in a crash on the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, on August 22
A 39-year-old man has been arrested at the funeral of one of the five young males killed in a wrong-way crash on the A66, which also claimed the lives of two police officers.
The funeral service for 17-year-old Cole Worthy at Teesside Crematorium was disrupted shortly after midday on Wednesday amid reports of a disturbance inside the building, Cleveland Police said. A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and taken into custody.
In the early hours of August 22, a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong day down the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, collided head-on with a marked police car.
Both police officers inside the vehicle – PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38 – and all five occupants of the Passat – Worthy, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Cahill and Jakub Matusiak, both 23 – were pronounced dead at the scene.
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The funeral of PC Matthew Blades took place on Wednesday, with hundreds lining the streets to pay their respects(Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
On Wednesday, Cleveland Police confirmed that an arrest had been made at Mr Worthy’s funeral.
Superintendent John Wrintmore said: “At around 12.30pm on Wednesday September 9, police swiftly attended Teesside Crematorium following reports of a disturbance during a service taking place inside.
“A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and has been taken into police custody. The service has since resumed. Officers will be in the area to provide reassurance.”
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PC Tom Clough (left) and PC Matthew Blades(Image: Cleveland Police/PA Wire)
Following the crash, it emerged that a property in a quiet street in Acklam, Middlesbrough, linked to Mr Worthy had been rammed, causing extensive damage.
The funeral was held on the same day as that of PC Matthew Blades, 37, which took place in Hartlepool. Hundreds of officers from Cleveland and forces across the country lined the streets in a guard of honour.
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(L-R) Makai Saddington, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Michael Cahill, Jakub Matusiak
The funeral for PC Clough will take place at a later date.
Schools had closed early for the previous funerals of some of the other young males in the Passat, sparking a political row, but remained open during the ceremony for Mr Worthy.
Cleveland Police previously said the young males in the Passat may have had links to organised crime.
