TikTok & other firms ordered to delete ‘absolutely idiotic’ videos of joyriding trend after A66 crash killed two cops

THE government has ordered TikTok and other social media platforms to remove “absolutely idiotic” joyriding content showing people driving the wrong way on roads. It comes after two police officers were killed when a VW Passat driven by a “TikTok joyrider” smashed into their patrol car. Tom Clough, 38, (R) was killed in the horror crash Credit: Facebook PC Matthew Blades who was also tragically killed Credit: PA PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died at the scene in Cleveland, Yorkshire, in the early hours of Saturday. The five young men in the Passat also died in the devastating collision, they have since been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! And, just days before the tragedy, Joey Carthy, 15, Alex McCarthy, Jack Kennedy, Kamil Pustkowski, all aged 17, and 18-year-old Jeremy O’Brien were killed in a horror 3am crash on the M9 in Co Kildare. In that case, teenagers in a stolen BMW were travelling the wrong way down the M9 in County Kildare after police tried to stop them. Matusiak would share footage of himself speeding along residential roads in broad daylight Credit: Facebook/Jakub Hewitt Footage shared by Matusiak shows him driving dangerously in the months leading up to the fatal smash Credit: TikTok The BMW smashed into a Hyundai carrying innocent members of a family, leaving three sisters and a seven-year-old boy seriously injured. The A66 tragedy has prompted fears that the same dangerous craze could be spreading. TikTok footage has since emerged showing Jacob Matusiak, who died in the fatal collision on Saturday, driving dangerously in the months leading up to the tragedy. Matusiak would share footage of himself speeding along residential roads in broad daylight, filming as he goes. Most read in The Sun His video was captioned: “Unfortunately I’m not a nonchalant boyfriend.” Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Defence Minister Luke Pollard has called on social media platforms to act to remove posts showing dangerous driving. He told the station: “We’ve communicated to those social media platforms that have been hosting content that celebrates this type of dangerous behaviour on our roads to take down that content. “I think we all need to give the police time, but there’s also things we can be doing in the meantime to make sure that the internet is a safer place for everyone, that doesn’t celebrate and load views and therefore financial incentives on people to generate such awful content.” “I want to see social media companies step up. “It’s one of the reasons they’ve argued against some of the regulations, saying they can police themselves. Well this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate it. Makai Saddington had previously shared footage of him involved in a high-speed chase Credit: Facebook/Makai Saddington Michael Ray died in the horror collision Credit: Facebook/Michael Ray “Remove the content that celebrates dangerous behaviour on our roads. “While that content is online, the Government will be using the powers in the Online Safety Act to compel the platforms to take it down. “But if the social media platforms were to regulate themselves and remove it in the first place, not allow their algorithm to share this type of content, because they know exactly what type of content that algorithm is designed to share, then I think we’d be in a better place.” Cleveland Police crime commissioner Matt Storey branded dangerous driving trends “absolutely idiotic” when asked about one of the five young men involved in the wrong-way collision on Saturday. Hearing reports that the man had been filming such content, he told BBC Radio 4: “Yeah, there has been speculation around that. “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% focused on the road when they’re behind the wheel of a vehicle. “And for somebody to be filming themselves or doing anything like that is absolutely ridiculous, and of course nobody should be doing that. “And it is a worrying situation if that’s becoming more prevalent because it is incredibly dangerous. “As I say, it may not have been the case in this situation, we don’t know, but anybody who is doing that, wherever it might be, is absolutely wrong to do so.” It has also since emerged that Makai Saddington – who died in the smash – was awaiting trial on charges of racially abusing and assaulting officers. He was accused of assaulting Sergeant Rooker of Cleveland Police and causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to PC Chowdhury. Court records seen by The Sun show Saddington was in court on July 17 over the charges for a first hearing. The alleged incidents were reported to have occurred back in June, according to court records. Saddington had also shared clips to social media showing him driving dangerously. clips appear to show him taking part in high-speed police chases months before the crash. In one video filmed in May, he is seen as a passenger in an Audi being driven at speed through a housing estate while a police car follows with its blue lights flashing. Close friends Theo Rae, 17, (left) and Cole Worthy, 17, both died in the crash Credit: Facebook/Theo Rae The deadly smashed happened just after 3am on Saturday Credit: PA The Audi then appears to veer across a grassy playing field in an apparent attempt to escape the pursuing officers. Another clip associated with Saddington shows a green Nissan being driven around before being set alight. Separate images show him and a friend posing in cars while wearing black balaclavas. Cops are continuing to investigate the moments leading up to the fatal smash. Cleveland Police believes the Passat involved in Saturday’s tragedy was being driven with cloned number plates and had been linked to several suspicious incidents. Just moments before the horrifying fatal smash, officers had been chasing the car in a highspeed pursuit for seven minutes through residential streets. Ring doorbell footage captured it being driven at speed through streets in Middlesbrough at around 3.36am. Cops called off the pursuit when the Passat went on to the A66 because it had begun travelling the wrong way down the road. But just seconds later, the car slammed into a marked police vehicle travelling correctly on the A66. Tragically, both cops and all five occupants of the Passat were pronounced dead at the scene. PC Blades was a husband and father-of-two who had recently taken on a new role coaching Seaton Carew FC. His wife has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her “beloved husband”, “best friend” and “the most devoted father to our two young boys”. 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.” She said he was an “adored son and brother”, a “perfect son-in-law” and “the most fun uncle”. She added: “He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness.” PC Clough had previously served with the British Transport Police and was also a former soldier. His family described him as their “hero” and a man with a “fantastic” sense of humour who would always jump into action when needed. They 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.” They added: “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.” The Sun has contacted TikTok for comment. 3 comments3