WARRANT ISSUED FOR DAD WHO ATTACKED CELEBRANT AT SON’S FUNERAL — AFTER FAILING TO APPEAR IN COURT

Gye Worthy, whose 17-year-old son Cole died in the fatal A66 𝔠r𝘢sh that claimed seven lives, missed his sentencing hearing after admitting to attacking the man leading his son’s funeral. Police later confirmed he had been located.

A Court Appearance That Never Happened

A warrant was issued for the arrest of a father who attacked a funeral celebrant during the service for his teenage son after he failed to appear in court for sentencing.

Gye Worthy, 40, was due before Teesside Magistrates’ Court on October 27, 2026, after admitting to assaulting celebrant Paul Maull and resisting arrest during the funeral of his son, Cole Worthy, on September 9.

Worthy also failed to attend court the previous day for a separate matter. According to the court, he had not contacted the court or his solicitors to explain his absence.

Deputy District Judge Julia Baggs approved the prosecution’s application for a warrant without bail, meaning Worthy would be held in custody once located.

Later that day, Cleveland Police confirmed that he had been found. No new court date had been announced in the latest report.

Anger During His Son’s Funeral

The disturbance happened during the funeral service for 17-year-old Cole Worthy at Teesside Crematorium.

Reports said Gye Worthy became angry over the eulogy, which mentioned Cole’s stepfather before him. He then attacked celebrant Paul Maull in front of mourners, turning an already painful day into a scene of distress.

Police were called to the crematorium, where Worthy also resisted officers. The funeral service later resumed.

Worthy subsequently admitted the assault and resisting arrest.

The incident attracted attention because the funeral was meant to be an opportunity for Cole’s family and friends to grieve following the teenager’s dєatᩚh in one of the region’s most devastating road collisions.

The 𝔠r𝘢sh That Killed Seven People

Cole was one of five people travelling in a Volkswagen Passat that collided head-on with a marked police vehicle on the A66 near South Bank, Middlesbrough, in the early hours of August 22, 2026.

The 𝔠r𝘢sh killed Cole and his four passengers — Jakub Matusiak, 23; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; and Michael Cahill, 23 — as well as police officers PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37.

Police had pursued the Passat but abandoned the pursuit when the vehicle travelled the wrong way along the dual carriageway. The collision occurred shortly afterwards.

The deaths devastated families and communities across the area, with tributes paid to both the young people and the two officers who died while on duty.

A Separate Theft Case

The court also heard that Worthy had admitted stealing four bottles of wine, valued at £30, from a shop on October 8.

That case had been adjourned to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared. His failure to attend court meant the sentencing proceedings could not go ahead as planned.

Police Confirm He Has Been Located

Although the warrant initially prompted a search for Worthy, Cleveland Police later confirmed he had been located.

The development cleared up the immediate uncertainty over his whereabouts, but the court proceedings remained outstanding in the latest reporting.

The case has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding the funeral disturbance and the wider tᩚraɢedy that claimed seven lives on the A66.

For Cole’s loved ones, the 𝔠r𝘢sh had already brought an immense loss. The disruption at his funeral added another painful chapter to an already difficult period.

Worthy has admitted the offences described above, and the court will determine the appropriate sentence. The families affected by the A66 collision continue to mourn the seven people who lost their lives.