An arrest warrant has been issued for the father of a teenager killed in the horror A66 Middlesbrough crash which claimed seven lives – after he attacked the celebrant at his son's funeral.
Gye Worthy, 40, assaulted Paul Maull, 46, during the cremation service for his 17-year-old son Cole, who died alongside four others when their car smashed head-on into a police vehicle, killing two officers, in August.
The businessman flew into a furious rage at Teesside Crematorium on September 9 after allegedly not being name-checked soon enough in the celebrant's eulogy to Cole.
Worthy grabbed Mr Maull by his clothing, dragged him and threatened him with violence in front of horrified mourners before resisting police officers called to the scene.
He later pleaded guilty to assault, resisting arrest, as well as a separate offence of theft, and was due to appear for sentencing before magistrates in Middlesbrough tomorrow.
However, a warrant has today been issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court to face fresh allegations of shoplifting and possessing drugs.
Teesside magistrates were also told that Worthy had failed to attend a compulsory appointment with probation officers for the preparation of a pre-sentence report into the extraordinary funeral attack.
His solicitor told the court that she had 'no update or explanation as to why he is not here'.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for Gye Worthy the father of a teenager killed in the horror A66 Middlesbrough crash which claimed seven lives in August
The son of Worthy, Cole Worthy on the right and his friend Theo Rae who also died in the crash
Bench chairwoman Anne Jones-Lumm issued a warrant 'not backed for bail' – an order that means a person must be kept in police custody until they can be brought directly before the court.
Cole Worthy and his four associates had taken to the roads intent on revenge on August 22 after his father's £200,000 semi-detached home in the Acklam area of Middlesbrough was among three properties ram-raided in a suspected gangland feud.
PC Tom Clough, 38, was killed alongside his Cleveland Police colleague PC Matthew Blades, 37, when their response vehicle was hit by a VW Passat travelling the wrong way on the A66.
Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23, were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Worthy, who runs a specialist offshore lifting company, attacked Mr Maull during the ceremony at the crematorium's St Bede's Chapel in full view of other mourners.
The celebrant had reportedly paid tribute to other members of Cole's family, including his stepfather, before Worthy erupted in anger.
Cole's mother, Natalie McConnell, who separated from Worthy several years ago, was said to have been left 'devastated and shocked' by the extraordinary scenes.
A source said: 'It was a shocking moment - it left the whole funeral in a state of shock.
PC Matthew Blades was one of two officers who died when a car travelling in the wrong direction hit a police car on the A66 near Middlesbrough
PC Matthew Blades was also killed in the terrible accident which left six others dead
'The problem seemed to be that the celebrant had not spoken Gye's name in his address soon enough for him.
'Other family members had been mentioned but he hadn't and he was furious and attacked the poor man leading the service.
'The worst thing about it is that he made a day that should have been about his son into a day that was all about him. It was appalling.'
Mr Maull, who conducts services regularly at Acklam Crematorium, previously told how he did not wish to speak about the ordeal, saying: 'It's not something I'd want to comment on.'
While on bail over the attack, Worthy is accused of stealing food and alcohol of an unknown value from a Co-op store in Middlesbrough on September 22.
Court papers show he was also charged with possessing quantities of the controlled drugs zopiclone and pregabalin on October 6.
The deadly chain of events began in the early hours of August 22 when Worthy's home was rammed and left structurally unsafe.
Minutes later, a Volvo XC60 ploughed into a silver Audi parked on the driveway of Theo Rae's family home, shunting the convertible into the front of the three-storey property.
Michael Cahill, 23, pictured, was also pronounced dead at the scene of the car crash
The badly damaged Audi, owned by Theo's mother Hollie Marie, was later dragged from the house as police flooded the area amid fears of violent reprisals.
By then, Theo and Worthy had teamed up with the others and were out searching for those responsible.
Police spotted their Volkswagen Passat and gave chase through the streets of Middlesbrough.
The pursuit lasted for almost seven minutes before, at 3.39am, the Passat entered the A66 on the wrong side of the carriageway in an apparent attempt to shake off officers.
Police immediately abandoned the pursuit and remained on the correct side of the road.
But just ten seconds later, the Passat smashed head-on into a marked armed response vehicle carrying PC Blades and PC Clough.
The incident was blamed on a gangland turf war over the supply of drugs on Teesside.
PC Clough had served in the British Army between 2006 and 2012, rising to Lance Corporal in the Royal Logistic Corps, with his final posting at 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment.
Makai Saddington was inside the VW Passat which crashed into the two police officers
Jakub Matusiak was also killed in the crash which was linked to gangland disputes over drugs
He later joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Sellafield, before serving with British Transport Police and ultimately Cleveland Police, where he worked as an armed response officer.
Following his death, his family described him as 'our hero' who was 'always on public duty throughout his short life'.
His colleague PC Blades, a married father of two young boys, had previously worked as an English teacher at Carmel College in Darlington before embarking on his policing career.
The 37-year-old was also a keen football supporter and volunteer youth coach with FC Hartlepool and Seaton Carew FC, where his sons played.
His heartbroken wife described him as 'my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys'.