Gye Worthy, the father of 17-year-old Cole Worthy who died in the A66 wrong way crash, has been charged with assault and obstructing police at his son’s funeral
The father of one of five young men killed in a head-on crash with a marked police car has been charged with assault and obstructing police at his son’s funeral.
Police were called to Teesside Crematorium during the service for 17-year-old Cole Worthy on Wednesday (September 9) after reports of a disturbance inside.
His dad Gye Worthy, 39, has now been charged with common assault, a public order offence and obstructing police. He is due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on October 2, Cleveland Police said. The incident allegedly came after comments were made during the service.
Cole was one of five young men travelling in a VW Passat which was going the wrong way on the A66 and hit a police car in the early hours of August 22.
Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the collision. The five occupants of the VW Passat were also pronounced dead at the scene.
After the crash, it emerged that a property in a street in Acklam, Middlesbrough, linked to the teenager, had been rammed, causing extensive damage.
The funeral was on the same day as that of Pc Blades, which took place in Hartlepool. The charges were confirmed hours after the funeral of Pc Clough on Thursday (September 10), which saw police officers and Army veterans come together at Kirkleatham Walled Gardens in Redcar.
In a statement, Cleveland Police said: “The 39-year-old man arrested yesterday (Wednesday 9 September) at Teesside Crematorium, following a disturbance during a service, has now been charged with common assault, public order and obstructing police. He is due to appear before Teesside Magistrates’ Court on 2nd October.”
Speaking on the day of Worthy’s funeral, Superintendent John Wrintmore said: “Our policing operation around today’s funeral in Middlesbrough has largely passed without incident or disruption.
“A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault at Teesside Crematorium and remains in police custody at this time.
“Our visible police presence will remain in the area to provide reassurance, and we would again like to thank our communities for their ongoing cooperation and support.
“Further funerals are planned throughout this week, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to prioritise public safety and ensure minimal disruption.”