An arrest warrant has been issued for the father of a teenager killed in the devastating A66 crash near Middlesbrough, after he allegedly attacked the celebrant during his son’s funeral service.
Gye Worthy, 40, assaulted 46-year-old Paul Maull during the cremation ceremony for his 17-year-old son Cole. The teenager was among five people killed when their car collided head-on with a police vehicle in August, an impact that also claimed the lives of two officers.
The businessman reportedly lost his temper at Teesside Crematorium on September 9 after becoming angry that he had not been mentioned early enough in the celebrant’s eulogy for Cole.
Worthy is alleged to have seized Mr Maull by his clothes, pulled him along and made threats in front of stunned mourners. He also resisted officers who arrived after police were called to the funeral.
He subsequently admitted assault, resisting arrest and a separate theft offence. Worthy was expected to appear before magistrates in Middlesbrough for sentencing tomorrow.
But the court has now issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to attend a hearing concerning new allegations of shoplifting and drug possession.
Teesside magistrates also heard that Worthy had missed a mandatory meeting with probation officers, which was intended to help prepare a pre-sentence report relating to the extraordinary incident at the funeral.
His solicitor told the court she had “no update or explanation as to why he is not here”.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for Gye Worthy, whose teenage son was killed in the devastating A66 crash near Middlesbrough that claimed seven lives in August
Worthy’s son Cole, pictured on the right, died in the crash alongside his friend Theo Rae
Bench chairwoman Anne Jones-Lumm issued a warrant “not backed for bail”. This means Worthy must remain in police custody once arrested until he can be brought directly before the court.
On August 22, Cole Worthy and four companions had reportedly taken to the roads seeking revenge after Worthy’s £200,000 semi-detached home in Middlesbrough’s Acklam area was among three properties targeted in suspected gang-related ram raids.
PC Tom Clough, 38, and fellow Cleveland Police officer PC Matthew Blades, 37, died when their response vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling on the wrong side of the A66.
Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Worthy, who operates a specialist offshore lifting business, allegedly confronted Mr Maull inside St Bede’s Chapel at the crematorium while other mourners watched.
The celebrant had reportedly acknowledged several members of Cole’s family, including his stepfather, before Worthy became angry.
Cole’s mother, Natalie McConnell, who had separated from Worthy several years earlier, was reportedly left “devastated and shocked” by the disturbing scenes at the service.
A source said: “It was a shocking moment. The entire funeral was left in a state of disbelief.”
PC Matthew Blades was one of two officers killed when a car travelling in the wrong direction collided with a police vehicle on the A66 near Middlesbrough
PC Matthew Blades also died in the devastating crash, which claimed six other lives
‘The problem seemed to be that the celebrant had not spoken Gye’s name in his address soon enough for him.
‘Other family members had been mentioned but he hadn’t and he was furious and attacked the poor man leading the service.
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‘The worst thing about it is that he made a day that should have been about his son into a day that was all about him. It was appalling.’
Mr Maull, who conducts services regularly at Acklam Crematorium, previously told how he did not wish to speak about the ordeal, saying: ‘It’s not something I’d want to comment on.’
While on bail over the attack, Worthy is accused of stealing food and alcohol of an unknown value from a Co-op store in Middlesbrough on September 22.
Court papers show he was also charged with possessing quantities of the controlled drugs zopiclone and pregabalin on October 6.
The deadly chain of events began in the early hours of August 22 when Worthy’s home was rammed and left structurally unsafe.
Minutes later, a Volvo XC60 ploughed into a silver Audi parked on the driveway of Theo Rae’s family home, shunting the convertible into the front of the three-storey property.
Michael Cahill, 23, pictured, was also pronounced dead at the scene of the car crash
The badly damaged Audi, owned by Theo’s mother Hollie Marie, was later dragged from the house as police flooded the area amid fears of violent reprisals.
By then, Theo and Worthy had teamed up with the others and were out searching for those responsible.
Police spotted their Volkswagen Passat and gave chase through the streets of Middlesbrough.
The pursuit lasted for almost seven minutes before, at 3.39am, the Passat entered the A66 on the wrong side of the carriageway in an apparent attempt to shake off officers.
Police immediately abandoned the pursuit and remained on the correct side of the road.
But just ten seconds later, the Passat smashed head-on into a marked armed response vehicle carrying PC Blades and PC Clough.
The incident was blamed on a gangland turf war over the supply of drugs on Teesside.
PC Clough had served in the British Army between 2006 and 2012, rising to Lance Corporal in the Royal Logistic Corps, with his final posting at 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment.
Makai Saddington was inside the VW Passat which crashed into the two police officers
Jakub Matusiak was also killed in the crash which was linked to gangland disputes over drugs
He later joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Sellafield, before serving with British Transport Police and ultimately Cleveland Police, where he worked as an armed response officer.
Following his death, his family described him as ‘our hero’ who was ‘always on public duty throughout his short life’.
His colleague PC Blades, a married father of two young boys, had previously worked as an English teacher at Carmel College in Darlington before embarking on his policing career.
The 37-year-old was also a keen football supporter and volunteer youth coach with FC Hartlepool and Seaton Carew FC, where his sons played.
His heartbroken wife described him as ‘my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys’.
