The father of a 17-year-old killed in the A66 crash faces court after allegedly attacking the celebrant at his son’s funeral.
Gye Worthy, 40, is accused of confronting Paul Maull at Teesside Crematorium on September 9 after becoming angry that the eulogy for Cole did not mention him, while referring to the teenager’s stepfather.
Worthy allegedly shouted insults before assaulting Mr Maull and obstructing police officers who attended to deal with the disturbance. He has been charged with common assault, public order and obstructing police.
He is due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
A source close to the family said Cole’s mother, Natalie McConnell, was “devastated and shocked” by the disruption to the memorial service.
Ms McConnell and Worthy have long been separated and both have new partners. Worthy, from Acklam in Middlesbrough, runs a specialist lifting company operating on offshore platforms.
Cole was one of five people killed in the A66 crash on Saturday, August 22. The others were Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Cahill, 23, and 17-year-old Theo Rae.
Two police officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, also died when the Volkswagen Passat collided with a police vehicle after travelling the wrong way along the A66.
Police said the five men in the car had links to organised crime and were attempting to flee officers. The crash was blamed on a tit-for-tat gangland turf war over the supply of drugs on Teesside.
There is no suggestion that Worthy is linked to organised crime. His semi-detached home, valued at £200,000, was also seriously damaged in a criminal act being investigated by Cleveland Police.
