PC Tom Clough, 38, one of the two police officers killed in the A66 crash in South Bank, has been pictured for the first time. His family paid tribute to him on Sunday, describing him as “our hero” who was “always on public duty”.
Officers killed in wrong-way collision
PC Clough and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway collided with their vehicle, which was going in the correct direction. The fatal crash killed all seven people involved.
Five young men, aged between 17 and 23, who were in the Volkswagen were named on Sunday afternoon. Cleveland Police said their families are being supported by officers.
Family tribute to PC Clough
In a statement, PC Clough’s family said: “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.”
They 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 into the crash
PC Blades and PC Clough had not been involved in the pursuit, but their car 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. Approximately 10 seconds after the pursuit was abandoned, the Passat collided with their armed response vehicle at 3.39am.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police. The IOPC said a suspicious vehicle had earlier been spotted by Cleveland Police Officers, triggering a pursuit before the car entered the A66 and collided with the police car.
The IOPC said its investigation remains at an early stage and that investigators have obtained initial accounts from officers involved in the pursuit, as well as the incident log and in-car footage. Derrick Campbell, IOPC Director of Engagement, said the organisation's thoughts remained with the families, friends and everyone affected by the collision. He said the incident had had a “devastating impact” on Cleveland Police, the wider policing community and local residents, adding that the IOPC offered its condolences to those affected.
