Thank you for subscribing!

One of the officers served in Iraq and Afghanistan prior to becoming a police officer

One of the teenagers who was in the VW Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 and collided with a police car was awaiting trial on charges of racially abusing and assaulting officers.

Makai Saddington, 18, was one of the five people in the vehicle going against the flow of traffic on the A66 in South Bank in Middlesbrough and collided with a police car.

The crash resulted in the death of PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, as well as the other four people in the VW.

Saddington, of no fixed address, was accused of assaulting a Cleveland Police sergeant and causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to a constable.

He appeared before Teeside magistrates on July 17, when his case was adjourned.

The others who died in the VW Passat were Michael Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 16, and Jakub Matusiak, 23.

Matusiak was seen posting on social media months before the crash, filming himself driving a Volvo at speed and veering off the road into a park.

Following the crash, the Government has called for a crackdown on social media firms after a trend of driving dangerously has become a trend on social media.

A similar incident occurred in Ireland last week, which saw five teenagers killed while driving the wrong way on the M9 motorway.

Luke Pollard, a defence minister, told the People’s Channel: “The Government has already spoken to the social media companies, telling them to take down that horrendous content that you rightly say is celebrating dangerous driving on our roads.

“It’s already illegal to drive down the wrong side of the road ... we’ll learn the lessons from the police investigation but we want that content removed online. I think it should be for the social media companies, who have often argued that they can police themselves but prove it here.

The Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, Matt Storey, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was “absolutely idiotic” for any drivers to be taking part in social media trends.

He said: “Without being able to say whether that was anything like involved in this case, it’s absolutely idiotic for anybody to be doing anything other than being completely 100 per cent focused on the road when they’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

The Telegraph reports that PC Clough was a soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan before he became a police officer with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and later Cleveland Police.

His family said: “He was our hero, with a fantastic sense of humour. Jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason. Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life.

“We as a family, and Tom’s partner, would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community.”

A man who served alongside PC Clogh said on social media that he was “a true friend, fantastic soldier and I have no doubt an even better police officer”.

Another said they had served with him in the Iraq war, while a third said he had served with him in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

PC Blades' wife described him as a “superhero” who “gave his life in the line of duty”.

She said: “No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt – my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys.

“He was an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle. He was loved beyond words by all his family and friends, and his loss has left a space that can never be filled.”