The two serving police officers who died after a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough have been pictured for the first time. PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, both of Cleveland Police, were in a police vehicle that was struck by a Volkswagen Passat. The Passat was not involved in the pursuit at the moment of the crash but had been the subject of an earlier chase.
Collision details
The incident occurred at 3.39am on the A66 in South Bank. The Passat, containing five male occupants, was being pursued by an armed response vehicle. Police footage shows the pursuit lasted just under seven minutes before the Passat travelled onto the A66 against the flow of traffic. At that point, officers aborted the pursuit and continued on the correct side of the carriageway.
Approximately 10 seconds after the pursuit ended, the Passat collided with another police vehicle that was not involved in the pursuit but was in the area to assist in a search for the Passat, which was believed to be using cloned plates that had activated an ANPR camera.
Victims and tributes
The five occupants of the Passat also died in the collision. They have been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.
The family of PC Tom Clough released a statement saying: "He was our hero with a fantastic of humour. Jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason. Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life."
The statement added: "We as a family and Tom's partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community."
Investigation underway
A police statement said initial enquiries established that Cleveland Police received intelligence regarding numerous incidents linked to a Volkswagen Passat. The Passat was later sighted and the pursuit began.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the cause of the crash. IOPC Director of Engagement Derrick Campbell said: "Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends and all those affected by yesterday’s collision. We recognise the devastating impact the incident has had on those in the force, and the wider policing community, and offer our condolences."
Campbell added: "We have obtained initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in car footage of the incident. Work is ongoing to obtain additional material. IOPC investigators will continue to review and analyse all the evidence that is available to us. We will not be providing any further comment at this time."
