Arrest warrant issued for father of A66 crash teen after funeral assault on celebrant

Mixed · 2An arrest warrant was issued on 27 October for Gye Worthy, 40, of Middlesbrough, after he failed to appear for sentencing for assaulting the celebrant at the funeral of his 17-year-old son, Cole. 1 2 Mixed · 2Deputy District Judge Julia Baggs granted a prosecution application for a warrant "not backed by bail", which means he must be held in custody until he can be brought before the court. 1 3 Mixed · 2Worthy had admitted assaulting celebrant Paul Maull and resisting arrest at Teesside Crematorium on 9 September; the Mirror adds that he admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. 1 2

Mixed · 2The Express and Mirror say he grabbed or dragged the celebrant by his clothing and threatened violence, apparently angry that he had not been mentioned early enough in the service. The Express attributes this to a source and says the assault was "allegedly" over the eulogy. 3 2 Mixed · 2The Mirror says Cole's mother, Natalie McConnell, who separated from Worthy, was "devastated and shocked", according to a source close to the family; the Express reports the same. 2 3 Mixed · 2The court was told Worthy had not contacted his solicitors or explained his absence. The Express adds that he missed a probation appointment for a pre-sentence report. 1 3

Mixed · 2He was also due to be sentenced for stealing four bottles of wine worth £30 from a shop, which the BBC dates to 8 October. The Express separately reports an accusation of stealing food and alcohol from a Co-op on 22 September and a charge of possessing zopiclone and pregabalin on 6 October. 1 3 Mixed · 2Cole Worthy was one of five men and two police officers killed on 22 August when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank hit a marked armed police car. The dead were PCs Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, and Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Worthy. 1 2 Mixed · 2Cole's funeral was on the same day as that of PC Blades. The BBC says the officers were looking for the Passat after cloned plates triggered a camera but were not in the pursuit, according to the IOPC. The Express says police abandoned a pursuit of almost seven minutes when the Passat entered the A66 on the wrong side, ten seconds before the crash. 1 3

Mixed · 2A property linked to the Worthy family in Acklam had been rammed shortly before the crash. The Express and Mirror say Cole and four associates set out for revenge after three properties were ram-raided in a suspected gangland feud; the Express says the incident was blamed on a drugs turf war. The BBC does not give a motive. 1 2 Left · 1The Mirror says neighbours described Worthy's behaviour as increasingly erratic, prompting concern for his welfare. 2