Middlesbrough residents fear "carnage" as gang violence threatens to escalate after two horrific incidents. The warning comes after seven people, including two police officers, died in a horror wrong-way crash on the A66 on Saturday, followed by a house fire days later that killed seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34.
Detectives are investigating whether the blaze was linked to organised crime and the events surrounding the fatal crash, amid fears of further retaliation between rival groups.
Former mayor warns community is 'on its knees'
Andy Preston, the former mayor of Middlesbrough, said the community was already "on its knees" as he warned of the potential for retaliatory violence. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said that Middlesbrough is England's crime capital as it has "allowed bad behaviour to go unpunished, worklessness to become normal and criminals to think they can do pretty much what they like."
He added: "From this awful point, things could escalate or peter out. Escalation will be carnage and further wound the communities that are already on their knees."
Crash and fire investigated as connected
The A66 crash killed PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, after their marked police car was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction. The five people inside the Passat – Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Michael Cahill, 23 – also died.
The crash happened less than an hour after an alleged gang dispute in which an SUV reportedly rammed a house belonging to the father of one of the young men who later died.
Cleveland Police are investigating whether Wednesday's deadly fire formed part of the same chain of events. Two men, aged 23 and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police have also made 17 arrests in connection with the A66 crash for suspected offences, including participation in an organised crime group and possession of firearms or drugs.
Preston said: "The shock of Saturday's crash has today become anger. Almost everyone is angry about what's happening to our town and our country. Criminals and layabouts seem to do what they want, often without consequences. Decent people see death threats, guns shot at front doors, and cars rammed into houses. The escalation of menace and intimidation here is huge. Criminals dominate some streets and communities. It's horrendous."
