FATHER OF TEEN KILLED IN A66 CRASH LOCATED AFTER FAILING TO ATTEND COURT OVER FUNERAL ATTACK

Gye Worthy, 40, had been due to be sentenced after admitting assaulting a celebrant at his son’s funeral. A warrant was issued when he failed to appear at court, before police confirmed he had been located.

The father of a teenager killed in a devastating crash on the A66 in England has been located by police after failing to attend court for sentencing over an assault at his son’s funeral.

Gye Worthy, 40, was due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. He had previously admitted assaulting funeral celebrant Paul Maull during the September 9 service for his son, Cole Worthy, 17.

When Worthy failed to attend, the court heard that he had not contacted officials to explain his absence and had not been in communication with his solicitors. Deputy District Judge Julia Baggs granted an application for a warrant without bail, meaning he would be held in custody once located.

Cleveland Police later confirmed that Worthy had been found. No new court date had been announced in the reports available at the time.

ATTACK DURING HIS SON’S FUNERAL

The incident took place during Cole’s funeral at Teesside Crematorium on September 9.

Worthy had become angry after the celebrant’s eulogy mentioned Cole’s stepfather but did not refer to him, according to reports of the court proceedings.

He shouted abuse at Maull before assaulting him in front of shocked mourners. Police officers who attended the scene also became involved in a confrontation with Worthy.

At a later hearing, Worthy admitted assaulting the celebrant and resisting arrest during the funeral service. The proceedings left Cole’s family and mourners facing further distress during an already painful farewell.

FURTHER OFFENCES BEFORE THE SENTENCING HEARING

Worthy was also due to be sentenced in connection with a separate theft offence.

He had admitted stealing four bottles of wine, valued at £30, from a shop on October 8. The case had been adjourned to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Reports also said he had failed to attend court on the previous day in connection with separate matters.

The warrant issued on October 27 followed his failure to appear for the scheduled hearing. Police subsequently confirmed that he had been located, but the reports did not provide details about the circumstances in which he was found.

THE A66 CRASH THAT CLAIMED SEVEN LIVES

Worthy’s court case follows the death of his son in a fatal collision on the A66 at South Bank in the early hours of August 22, 2026.

Cole, 17, was travelling in a Volkswagen Passat with four other young men when the vehicle collided head-on with a marked police car. The crash killed all five occupants of the Passat, as well as police officers PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38.

The four other occupants were identified as Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23.

Police had pursued the Passat but abandoned the pursuit after it travelled the wrong way along the dual carriageway. The collision occurred moments later.

A FAMILY LEFT TO GRIEVE

The tragedy has brought profound loss to the families of the five young men and the two police officers.

For Cole’s loved ones, his funeral was intended to provide an opportunity to say goodbye. The assault during the service instead added another painful chapter to an already devastating period.

Worthy’s failure to attend court then delayed the sentencing process, prompting the judge to issue a warrant. Although police have since confirmed that he has been located, the next stage of the proceedings remained unclear in the latest reports.

The case now awaits further court proceedings as Cole’s family and the wider community continue to live with the consequences of the fatal A66 collision.