Five males charged after funeral hearse pushed onto soccer pitch as gamers fled
Five men have been charged after a hearse and a second car were driven onto a football pitch and did doughnuts – causing the match to be abandoned
The thugs drove onto the pitch before abandoning the hearse
Five men have been charged after a hearse and a second car were driven onto a football pitch and did doughnuts at a packed non-league game.
The incident, which happened in 2023 during a pre-season game between Dunston UTS and Gateshead, went viral on social media after footage of the funeral vehicle storming the pitch were shared.
Fans watched as the two cars broke through a barrier and parked up in the centre circle. Masked men then proceeded to jump out of the hearse, which had a number of posters in the window, and into another car which performed doughnuts and chucked leaflets onto the pitch, before speeding away in the Subaru.
The game was abandoned as the hearse was left on the pitch
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Four individuals allegedly forced the gates of the stadium open before driving two cars onto the pitch, endangering the lives of both sets of players and fans in attendance. The game was called off shortly after half-time with the contest sitting at 1-1.
Northumbria Police said in a statement that five men have been charged with a string of offences. All five are due to appear at Sunderland and South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on either Wednesday or Friday this week.
Detective Chief Inspector David Johnson, of Northumbria Police, said: “We’ve been working through a long-spanning and complex investigation since we were first aware of this activity, which we have always treated as being linked.
The masked men escaped in a Subaru that performed doughnuts
“Operation Sentinel is our regional response to reports of serious and organised crime – and our teams have worked tirelessly alongside our colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service to have now reached these charges.
“As ever, we would ask the public to refrain from any kind of speculation – both in the community and online – which could negatively impact the proceedings.”
Carl Barron, 43, is accused of two counts of conspiracy to commit criminal damage, conspiracy to make threats to kill and conspiracy to steal.
Ian Boddy, 44, is charged with conspiracy to steal and participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Darren Kay, 31, is accused of conspiracy to make threats to kill.
Graeme Rutherford, 54, is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to make threats to kill. John Wright, 42, is accused of two counts of conspiracy to commit criminal damage, conspiracy to make threats to kill and conspiracy to steal.
