More than 200 additional police officers have been drafted to Middlesbrough in the aftermath of the A66 crash that killed seven people. The reinforcements include detectives and armed officers sent to support Cleveland Police amid growing concern over possible further violence.
Violence follows deadly crash
The Teesside town has been mourning the deaths of five young men and two police officers after a Volkswagen Passat travelling on the wrong side of the A66 smashed into the patrol vehicle in the early hours of Saturday. Since the collision in the South Bank neighbourhood, a spate of violence has followed in nearby areas.
Armed police descended on Eston this afternoon after a man, 39, was stabbed on Sedgemoor Road, while a vehicle rammed into the wall of a home in nearby South Bank this morning. A seven-year-old girl and her aunt died after a house fire in Grangetown yesterday, which has seen two men, aged 23 and 31, arrested for murder. A home in Acklam damaged by a vehicle linked to the Volkswagen Passat allegedly belonged to the dad of one of the victims.
Council leader calls for more resources
Councillor Alec Brown, the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said the officers have been drafted from forces around the country. He said: 'Over 200 extra police officers from forces around the country are here and are on route, from detectives to armed response.' He added: 'I will sending a letter today to our Prime Minister asking for even more resource.'
No arrests have been made in connection with the Eston stabbing, and the investigation continues. Detectives have not ruled out a link between the assault and the A66 crash.
Families deny gang links
Rumours have been swirling claiming that the five young men inside the Passat – Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak – had gang links. The brother of Natalie McDonald, 34, who was killed in the house fire with her niece Valentina Foster, seven, denied claims that her death was gangland retribution.
Josh Kirton said: 'My sister was not involved with anything to do with gangs, or the (crash on the) A66. That's what makes this so senseless. People think they can do whatever they like. There's some terrible people in the world and now my sister and Valentina have gone.'
Inquests opened into deaths
The inquest opened today into the deaths of PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, killed in the wrong-way crash. Their provisional cause of death was head and neck injuries, and the inquest was adjourned. Cases were also opened into the deaths of the five young men, who were identified by fingerprint analysis.
Seventeen people have been arrested in an ongoing investigation following the crash, including a 16-year-old boy and two men aged 18 and 21 on suspicion of taking part in organised crime.
