(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
Four of the five young men who died after their car hit a police vehicle on a dual carriageway had previously been convicted of crimes - some against police officers.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed on Teesside when a Volkswagen Passat – which had been chased by police – was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway and hit their marked armed response vehicle.
The five people travelling in the Volkswagen – Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak – were pronounced dead at the scene, at South Bank, early on Saturday.
PC Matthew Blades
(Image: CLEVELAND POLICE)
PC Tom Clough
(Image: CLEVELAND POLICE)
According to court records and information provided by Cleveland Police, their convictions were:
– Cole Worthy
Theo Rae, 17 and Cole Robert Worthy, 17.
(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
- Using threatening abusive language to cause harassment, alarm and distress on October 27 2024.
- Failing to surrender to custody on May 14 2025.
- Assaulting a police officer on April 27 2025.
- Driving without a licence on June 7 2026.
- Using a vehicle without insurance on June 7 2026.
- Driving without reasonable consideration on June 7 2026.
- Driving using a mobile phone on June 7 2026.
– Jacob Matusiak
Jakub Matusiak, 23.
(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
- Using a vehicle without insurance on March 22 2026.
- Driving without a licence on March 22 2026.
– Makai Saddington
Makai Saddington, 18.
(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
- Possession of a controlled class C drug on May 31 2025.
- Possession of a knife in a public place on May 31 2025.
Court records show that Saddington pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and indicated a guilty plea to causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to another officer in Middlesbrough on June 9, an HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) spokesperson said.
He entered his pleas at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on July 17 and was handed a 12-month conditional discharge.
The HMCTS spokesperson also said that on April 1, Saddington appeared before the same court where he admitted three counts of assaulting Pc John Walker in Middlesbrough on October 11 2025.
He was made to pay a total of £240 in court costs and carry out rehabilitation requirements.
– Theo Rae
Theo Rae, 17 and Cole Robert Worthy, 17.
(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
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Twelve shoplifting offences between October 21 2023 and May 4 2024.
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Three thefts from motor vehicle offences between January 31 2024 and September 25 2024.
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One theft of a vehicle on April 13 2024.
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Possession of cannabis on April 22 2024.
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Aggravated vehicle taking on May 16 2024.
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Aggravated vehicle taking January 2 2025.
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Conviction of an offence while a youth rehabilitation order was in force on February 26 2025.
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Assaulting a female police officer in Middlesborough on April 30 2026.
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He pleaded guilty to that offence at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on August 12 and was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and made to pay £100 in compensation, court records show.
– Michael Robert Cahill
Michael Robert Cahill, 23.
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No previous convictions.