Five charged over football pitch hearse disorder

Image caption, A hearse was abandoned on a football pitch in Gateshead in 2023, believed to be connected with wider disorder

A hearse was abandoned on a football pitch in Gateshead in 2023, believed to be connected with wider disorder

Five men have been charged over the organisation of violent disorder after a funeral hearse was driven onto a football pitch.

Northumbria Police have been investigating a number of incidents from summer 2023, which are believed to be connected, including a hearse being driven onto the pitch at a Dunston UTC v Gateshead match at Dunston Football Club.

There were also reports of criminal damage across addresses in the Dunston and Byker areas, as well as a report of a stolen vehicle from the Durham area.

All five men who have been charged are due to appear at Sunderland and South Tyneside Magistrates' Court this week.

A hearse and a Subaru car were driven onto the pitch at the stadium on Wellington Road during half-time on 21 July 2023.

Those inside the hearse threw leaflets on to the pitch, before abandoning the vehicle and driving off in the Subaru - the match was later called off.

The leaflets included a number of personal allegations about two individuals.

The men due to appear in court are:

Det Ch Insp David Johnson, of Northumbria Police, said: "As ever, we would ask the public to refrain from any kind of speculation - both in the community and online - which could negatively impact the proceedings."

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