A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Gye Worthy, the father of a teenager killed in the A66 crash, after he failed to appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court. Worthy, 40, had admitted assaulting the celebrant at his son's funeral and obstructing police officers.
Funeral Disturbance
The remembrance ceremony for Cole Worthy, 17, descended into chaos when his father allegedly took exception to comments made during the service. Worthy leapt from his seat as the celebrant addressed the congregation, apparently incensed that he had not been mentioned earlier.
Worthy admitted dragging the celebrant by his clothes while issuing threats of violence and then resisting the police officers at the scene. He pleaded guilty to assault by beating on September 9th in St Bede's Chapel at Acklam Crematorium in Middlesbrough.
Court Proceedings
Worthy also admitted using threatening, abusive, or insulting words and behaviour towards the celebrant, intending to cause fear of unlawful violence. He also admitted stealing four bottles of wine, valued at £30, from a shop in a separate incident.
Adam Scott, prosecuting, asked for a warrant to be issued for his arrest. Scott said: "He was bailed to appear before the court this morning and has not attended." Scott added: "It is 10.30am and he has not appeared. He has had no contact with his solicitor."
Background to the A66 Crash
Cole Worthy was killed in the tragedy that claimed the lives of two police officers in August. Seven people were killed in the A66 crash in August, including two police officers and five others.
Gye Worthy's home in Ruskin Avenue in Middlesbrough was ram raided shortly before his son set off from the property on the night of the A66 tragedy. Neighbours there said that Gye's behaviour had become increasingly erratic, raising concerns for his welfare. A source close to the family said that Cole Worthy's mother Natalie McConnell had been "devastated and shocked" by the disruption to her son's memorial.
Cole Worthy and his four associates had taken to the roads intent on revenge on August 22 after his father's £200,000 semi-detached home in the Acklam area of Middlesbrough was among three properties ram-raided in a suspected gangland feud. PC Tom Clough, 38, was killed alongside his Cleveland Police colleague PC Matthew Blades, 37, when their response vehicle was hit by a VW Passat travelling the wrong way on the A66. Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23, were all pronounced dead at the scene.
