Home Office minister and MP for Redcar, Anna Turley, has been criticised for paying her respects on social media to the seven people who died in a head-on collision between two police officers and five criminals. Tory MP Nick Timothy called out her actions, saying it “didn’t feel right” for her to honour the lives of the five young men, who between them had 37 criminal convictions.
Turley’s response to criticism
Turley responded by saying: “I’m dismayed Nick Timothy would try and use a horrific situation that has deeply affected my community and my police force for a cheap political tweet.”
The collision happened on the A66, where the five men were driving the wrong way at speed. If they had survived, they would have been charged with manslaughter at the very least, according to reports.
Arrests and community reaction
Since the crash, 17 people have been arrested on suspicion of organised crime, drug dealing and possessing firearms. The deaths of the five men have been described as almost inevitable given their backgrounds and the people who influenced them.
The two officers, PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades, have been hailed as heroes who died protecting the public. A fundraiser set up to support their families has raised more than £750,000.
