The father of a teenager killed in the A66 wrong-way crash has been found after he failed to appear in court for sentencing. Gye Worthy, 40, had been due to be sentenced for attacking a celebrant at the funeral of his son, Cole Worthy, 17.
Worthy did not attend Teesside Magistrates' Court this morning, leading to a warrant for his arrest. The court heard that Worthy had not made contact to explain his absence. Cleveland Police later confirmed that the man had been caught.
Warrant Issued
Deputy District Judge Julia Baggs said: “In these circumstances, I do accept the application for a warrant not backed by bail.” This means Worthy would need to be remanded in custody pending a future court appearance once he has been tracked down.
Worthy had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting celebrant Paul Maull during the funeral service for Cole Worthy on September 9. He erupted in fury when Mr Maull failed to mention him in the eulogy to his son but did reference the teenager's stepfather. He shouted abuse and then launched an attack on him as stunned mourners witnessed the scene. When officers rushed to Teesside Crematorium, he also became involved in an altercation with them.
Other Charges
At a hearing last month, Worthy also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest at the funeral service. He also previously admitted nicking four bottles of wine worth £30 from a shop on October 8.
A source close to the family revealed that Cole's mother Natalie McConnell was left "devastated and shocked" by the mayhem.
Background
Offshore worker Worthy resides in Acklam, Middlesbrough, where his £200,000 property was rammed on August 22 in an attack targeted at his son. It formed part of an escalating gang conflict which erupted a short time later as Cole, 17, and four mates jumped into a VW Passat and went hunting their rivals. Officers spotted the vehicle which had cloned plates and gave chase briefly but abandoned it when the motor went the wrong way along the A66. Moments later it crashed into PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, killing both officers and all five occupants of the Passat.
