A66 crash: gang rammed mother's home minutes before two officers died near Middlesbrough

The home of Theo Rae's mother was rammed by gangland rivals shortly before the A66 crash that killed two Cleveland Police officers. Police have since arrested more than a dozen people linked to the wider feud.

Gang attack on family home preceded fatal A66 collision, police confirm

The mother of one of the five young men killed in the A66 crash near Middlesbrough had her home rammed by gangland rivals in the early hours of the morning, minutes before the fatal collision took place. According to the Daily Express, her silver Audi was shunted from the driveway into the front of the property at around 3.30am on Saturday 22 August. Images cited by The Scottish Sun show the car crumpled outside the house, with a blue tarpaulin covering the structural damage to the building.

The attack is believed to have acted as a direct trigger for the events that followed. Theo Rae, 17, reportedly left the area in a Volkswagen Passat alongside four others — Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17 — to find the rival gang held responsible. His grandmother's home is also reported to have been targeted that night, as was a property belonging to the father of Cole Worthy.

Two officers killed in head-on collision

The group were spotted driving through Middlesbrough before Cleveland Police officers gave chase. After around seven minutes, the Passat entered the A66 travelling the wrong way on the dual carriageway. It struck a marked armed response vehicle head-on. PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the impact. All five occupants of the Volkswagen were also pronounced dead at the scene.

A source told the Daily Express: "Cole's dad's home was rammed first, but it was empty at the time. No one gave a s**t about it. But they were furious that Theo's house was rammed and his nan's. There was a large police presence at the property but by then Theo and the others were already in the Passat looking for the gang responsible. This is the reason it all exploded."

The same source said homes in Middlesbrough had been targeted for months as part of an ongoing feud between rival gangs in the city, reportedly centred on disputes over "drugs and money".

Wave of arrests in connection with crash and wider feud

Cleveland Police have since arrested and charged a number of individuals connected to the crash and the broader criminal network behind it.

Kai Beattie, 19, of Foxrush Court, Redcar, has been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Cameron George, 26, of Micklow Close, Redcar, has been charged with possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property, and has been remanded in police custody. Kai Inico, 21, of Alverton Green, Middlesbrough, has been charged with possession with intent to supply a class B drug and released on conditional bail.

Among those arrested on suspicion of offences are:

• A 24-year-old man, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and possession of an offensive weapon — released on conditional bail.
• A 19-year-old man, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life — released on conditional bail.
• A 30-year-old woman, on suspicion of assisting an offender — released on conditional bail.
• A 35-year-old man, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and possession of an offensive weapon — released on conditional bail.
• A 21-year-old man, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group, possession of an offensive weapon, and criminal damage — remanded on recall to prison.
• A 20-year-old man, on suspicion of threats to cause criminal damage and public order offences.
• A 61-year-old woman, on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate — released on conditional bail.
• A 47-year-old woman, on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs, and possession of class C drugs — released on conditional bail.
• An 18-year-old man, on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs, and possession of class C drugs — released on unconditional bail.
• A 39-year-old man, on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs, and possession of class C drugs — released on conditional bail.
• A 26-year-old man, on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs and possession of criminal property.
• A 39-year-old man, on suspicion of threats to kill — released on conditional bail.
• A 16-year-old boy, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group — released on conditional bail.
• An 18-year-old man, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group — released on conditional bail.
• A 21-year-old man, on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and possession with intent to supply a class B drug — released on conditional bail.
• A 55-year-old man, on suspicion of assisting an offender — released on conditional bail.
• A 23-year-old man, on suspicion of threats to kill — released on conditional bail.

Source: Daily Express