‘Truly reprehensible’ videos which glorify high speed cop chases MUST be removed, Burnham orders social media giants

SOCIAL media giants were yesterday ordered to remove “truly reprehensible” videos which glorify high-speed police chases. Prime Minister Andy Burnham condemned those sharing the footage, with No 10 calling it “utterly disgraceful”. Andy Burnham condemned those sharing videos which glorify high-speed police chases while on a visit to Ukraine, with No 10 calling it ‘utterly disgraceful’ Credit: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire A Sun investigation found videos showing feral youths trying to bait cops Credit: Unknown Last night masked pals of five joyriders killed in a wrong-way crash on the A66 in Middlesbrough set off flares and balloons and revved motorbikes in their memory. Michael Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and 17-year-old Cole Worthy died in their VW Passat. All except Cahill had previous convictions. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Saddington was awaiting trial over an alleged assault of a cop. PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, also died in Saturday’s crash when the Passat hit their marked police car. Jakub Matusiak, 23, died in the A66 crash Credit: Facebook/Jakub Hewitt Theo Rae, 17, and 17-year-old Cole Worthy also died in the crash Credit: Unknown Mr Burnham hit out on a visit to Ukraine, saying: “People who share footage glorifying dangerous driving are doing something that’s truly reprehensible”. A No 10 spokeswoman added: “The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful. That is why we have raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies since the tragedy. “Ofcom is already investigating TikTok’s compliance with its child safety duties and has our full backing to take tough action against platforms that fail to act.” Last night around 20 masked youths rode off-road motorbikes and e-bikes on a housing estate field in South Bank, near the crash scene. Most read in The Sun Makai Saddington, 18, died in the VW Passat Credit: Unknown Michael Cahill, 23, who also lost his life in the crash Credit: Unknown They launched flares and balloons in orange, the favourite colour of Matusiak. One appalled gran, 58, said: “This is nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen. “I’ve watched them walking down there drinking and smoking weed and razzing about on their bikes. There’s nothing here to celebrate.” Two of the five joyriders had previously posted videos on TikTok goading cops into chases. Masked pals of the five joyriders killed the crash set off flares and balloons and revved motorbikes in their memory Credit: Supplied They lit up the sky with rockets and orange smoke Credit: Supplied Rae uploaded phone footage taken through the rear windscreen of a night-time pursuit in Middlesbrough. It showed the car screeching and swerving across the road as cops in patrol cars gave chase. One passenger yells: “Step on it.” The driver appears to head towards oncoming traffic while taunting cops: “Wrong side. You can’t follow bruv.” Pal Saddington had posted footage of a police chase across a field. TikTok says it has since removed the videos and taken the account down for violating its terms and conditions. Emergency services at the scene on the A66 in South Bank Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire A Sun investigation found scores more videos showing feral youths trying to bait cops. One channel, GTA UK, named after computer game Grand Theft Auto, was removed after we notified TikTok, which serves more than a billion users a month. A clip filmed last year showed a balaclava-clad driver leaning out of the window as cops gave chase. Captions read, “Boyos take chase with the door open” and “police chase going crazy”. Another clip was captioned: “Trying to get the chase on has to be the funniest thing ever.” We found clips celebrating speeding and dangerous driving on other social media platforms. One on Instagram captioned BRZ VS POLICE showed a thug on a motorbike, gesturing to officers and saying: “Here we go. Come on then.” PC Matthew Blades’ was one of two police officers killed in the horror crash Credit: Cleveland Police PC Tom Clough tragically died in the collision Credit: PA An Instagram page called Bikes Running Cops, shows a rider ­flipping officers the middle finger before performing wheelies on a dual carriageway. Ex-Met cop Graham Wettone said the number of police chase videos online has escalated. He added: “People seem to be doing it now to actually film the pursuit then post the clip on their social media accounts to get likes. “There seems to be an increase in driving very dangerously and recklessly, on the wrong side of the road, on motorways and dual carriageways.” The Middlesbrough crash came less than a week after five teens were killed when their BMW drove the wrong way down the M9 motorway in Ireland. Previous convictions of four occupants Cole Worthy Use threatening abusive language to cause harassment, alarm and distress on 27 October 2024 and pleaded guilty Failing to surrender to custody on 14 May 2025 and pleaded guilty Common assault of a police officer on 27 April 2025 and pleaded guilty Driving without a licence on 7 June 2026 and pleaded guilty Using a vehicle without insurance on 7 June 2026 and pleaded guilty Driving without reasonable consideration on 7 June 2026 and pleaded guilty Driving using a mobile phone on 7 June 2026b and pleaded guilty Jakub Matusiak Using a vehicle without insurance on 22 March 2026 and pleaded guilty Driving without a licence on 22 March 2026 and pleaded guilty Makai Saddington Possession of a controlled class C drug on 31 May 2025 and pleaded guilty Possession of a knife in a public place on 31 May 2025 and pleaded guilty 11 October 2025 three offences for assaulting a police officer and pleaded guilty Assaulted a police officer on 9 June 2026 and pleaded guilty Racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm and distress on 9 June 2026 and pleaded guilty Theo Rae 12 shoplifting offences between 21 October 2023 and 4 May 2024 and pleaded guilty to all offences Three thefts from motor vehicle offences between 31 January 2024 and 25 September 2024 and pleaded guilty to all offences One theft of vehicle on 13 April 2024 and pleaded guilty Possession of cannabis on 22 April 2024 and pleaded guilty Aggravated vehicle taking on 16 May 2024 and pleaded guilty Aggravated vehicle taking 2 January 2025 and pleaded guilty Conviction of an offence while a youth rehabilitation order is in force on 26 February 2025 and pleaded guilty Assaulted a police officer on 30 April 2026 and pleaded guilty Michael Robert Cahill No convictions The funeral of 18-year-old Jeremy O’Brien took place yesterday, where there was a heavy police presence. Under the Online Safety Act, videos that show illegal activity are not automatically ruled out as illegal. Instead, it is left to social network bosses to decide whether the material breaks the law. There are now calls for the Act, which became law in October 2023, to be toughened. Last month, Ofcom announced it had launched an investigation into whether TikTok is failing to protect children from harmful content. Reform UK said it wanted the Government to go further and called for the likes of TikTok to be hit with huge fines. Party chairman Lee Anderson said: “The only way you are going to stop these social media companies from allowing these outrageous posts is by hitting them, strongly, in the pocket.” A TikTok spokeswoman said its policies “strictly prohibit” content that could cause significant ­physical harm, including dangerous driving. Yesterday a GoFundMe set up by Cleveland Police Federation for the officers’ families had reached £600,000. A separate one set up by ex-cop Paul Cooper has raised more than £39,000. Married dad-of-two PC Blades and Iraq war veteran PC Clough were part of the force’s serious and organised crime unit, Matrix. They were not part of Saturday’s pursuit but were in the area searching for the Passat. It had been linked to numerous incidents and was driving on cloned plates when it activated an automatic number plate recognition camera. The Passat was later sighted by another armed response vehicle which gave chase, said the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Analysis of in-car footage shows the pursuit lasted under seven minutes before the Passat drove towards oncoming traffic. Cops abandoned their pursuit but ten seconds later, at 3.39am, it ploughed into PC Blades and PC Clough’s car. PC Blades’ widow, Sarah has said he was “forever our superhero”. PC Clough’s family said he devoted his life to serving his country. Flowers and cards were left at the entrance to Cleveland Police’s Roads Policing Unit. One message in a framed force badge read: “Tommy, Bladesy, you will be remembered as two of the very best. I’m proud of you both and you’ll be forever missed. “I don’t have the words to describe the loss we all feel. ­Genuine real-life heroes.” Chief Supt Richard Clark, PC Clough’s ex-commanding officer at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, paid tribute to his “warmth, humour and authenticity”. Comment now