“THEIR SON IS NOT TO BLAME” — A66 CRASH FAMILIES HIT BACK AS FUNERAL CONTROVERSY ROCKS MIDDLESBROUGH

The aftermath of the devastating A66 crash has taken another dramatic turn — this time over funerals, school closures and the growing anger surrounding the families of the five young men who died.

The tragedy has already divided opinion across Middlesbrough.

Now, as mourners gathered for the first funeral of one of the young men, local schools closed early, roads were restricted and hundreds of people descended on the area.

For some residents, it was a necessary safety measure.

For others, it was an unacceptable disruption — and critics accused authorities of allowing fear of disorder to dictate everyday life.

At the centre of the controversy is the funeral of Jakub “Jacob” Matusiak, 23, one of five young men who died when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66 collided head-on with a marked police vehicle on August 22.

The crash claimed seven lives in total, including police officers PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38.

A FUNERAL THAT BROUGHT MIDDLESBROUGH TO A STANDSTILL

On Friday, September 4, hundreds of mourners gathered for Matusiak’s funeral in South Bank.

The scale of the gathering had been anticipated for days.

Authorities warned that large crowds, motorcycles and quad bikes could create significant congestion and disruption around the funeral route.

Several local schools therefore announced that they would close around lunchtime.

Officials said the decision was taken because of concerns about traffic and the large number of people expected in the area.

But the decision immediately triggered a political row.

Critics argued that children should not have their education disrupted because of fears surrounding a funeral.

Others countered that schools had a responsibility to protect pupils and staff when unusually large crowds were expected nearby.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she trusted headteachers to make the judgments necessary to keep their school communities safe.

THE MEMORIALS HAVE ALREADY CAUSED CONTROVERSY

The latest funeral came after previous public tributes to the young men generated concern.

Footage and reports from earlier gatherings described large groups of mourners arriving on motorcycles and quad bikes, with some people performing wheelies and setting off flares.

Those scenes alarmed residents and authorities, who feared that another large gathering could lead to traffic chaos or disorder.

That is why the funeral operation was treated as a major policing and public-safety event.

Road closures and other measures were put in place, while specialist officers were deployed to the area.

Despite the fears, the funeral itself remained largely peaceful, according to reports.

“OUR SON IS NOT TO BLAME”

The controversy has also reopened arguments about how the five young men should be remembered.

Some relatives have fiercely defended the character of their loved ones, arguing that whatever circumstances surrounded the crash, their sons should still be mourned as family members.

That has proved deeply uncomfortable for others.

The crash investigation found that the Volkswagen Passat was travelling in the wrong direction when it collided with the police vehicle.

All five occupants of the Passat died.

Police have since investigated whether the men had connections to serious and organised criminal activity, and several arrests have been made in a wider investigation.

But an allegation or police investigation is not the same as a criminal conviction.

That distinction has become increasingly important as grieving relatives attempt to defend their loved ones while authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

THE ORGANised CRIME QUESTION

The A66 tragedy quickly became more than a road collision.

Detectives said the five young men may have had links to serious and organised criminal activity, prompting a wider investigation.

Twelve people were initially arrested in connection with the investigation, with further arrests subsequently reported.

Some suspects have faced separate allegations involving drugs, firearms or criminal property.

The investigation has intensified scrutiny of the young men who were inside the Passat.

Reports have also revealed that several of them had previous criminal records.

But investigators have not suggested that every person who attended a funeral or memorial was involved in criminal activity.

That distinction matters as tensions rise across the region.

TWO VERY DIFFERENT FUNERALS

The contrast between the funerals of the five young men and the two police officers has also become a major part of the public debate.

PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough were remembered by colleagues and the wider policing community in solemn ceremonies.

Blades’ two sons were later invited to Manchester United, where they served as mascots during the club’s first home match of the season — a tribute to their father’s love of the club.

Meanwhile, the funeral of Matusiak drew hundreds of mourners onto the streets of South Bank.

The two scenes have become symbols of the complicated emotions surrounding the crash.

Seven families are grieving.

But the circumstances leading to the collision mean public sympathy has not been evenly distributed.

THE COMMUNITY IS STILL ON EDGE

The A66 crash happened against a backdrop of growing concern about serious crime in Middlesbrough and surrounding areas.

In the days following the collision, authorities investigated a series of other incidents, including a fatal house fire and suspected retaliatory violence.

Police have warned of links to organised criminal activity and deployed additional resources to the region.

The Home Office has also announced additional funding for Cleveland Police as the force tackles serious crime in the area.

For residents, however, the issue is no longer simply about policing.

It is about whether they feel safe in their own communities.

It is about whether children can attend school without disruption.

And it is about how a town should respond when a single tragedy becomes entangled with wider fears about crime and disorder.

THE FUNERAL WAS PEACEFUL — BUT THE ARGUMENT IS NOT OVER

By the time mourners gathered for Matusiak’s funeral, the streets around the church had effectively been transformed.

Roads were closed.

Schools had sent pupils home early.

Police prepared for large crowds.

And hundreds of people came together to say goodbye.

Despite the fears of serious disorder, reports indicated that the funeral itself passed largely peacefully.

But the controversy surrounding it is unlikely to disappear.

For the families of the five young men, these funerals are about grief, remembrance and saying goodbye.

For critics, the scale of the gatherings and the disruption they create raise very different questions.

And for the police, the investigation into the A66 collision — and the suspected criminal activity surrounding it — is still continuing.

Seven people lost their lives that morning.

Two were police officers doing their job.

Five were young men travelling in a car that, according to investigators, was travelling the wrong way along the carriageway.

The families are now left to mourn.

The investigators are left to establish what happened.

And Middlesbrough is left to deal with the consequences.