Tempers boil over at Australia teenager's funeral

SYDNEY - Tempers boiled over yesterday at the funeral of a teenager killed during a police pursuit in Sydney's south-west, with mourners turning on the media.

Three hours later, a TV cameraman was attacked while covering the same story in a nearby suburb.

About 150 mourners attended the funeral for 17-year-old Dylan Rayward at Forest Lawn Crematorium, in Leppington.

His death and that of another youth in a car crash following a police chase last Friday night sparked four nights of rioting in Macquarie Fields.

Police last night were preparing for the possibility of further unrest in the troubled suburb, with mounted police and officers in riot gear keeping a close watch.

Earlier, a female mourner at Mr Rayward's funeral confronted media, saying "It's not a show. You've made it a sideshow, it's not ... get in your cars and go".

"No-one asked you to come here, you're as welcome as the police," she said.

The woman also threatened to "throw a rock" at broadcasting equipment.

Hours later Seven Network cameraman Brad Smith, 29, was attacked after he confronted a man in his 20s who had been urinating on a Channel Seven van parked near the crash site in Macquarie Fields.

A fight followed in which Mr Smith said he was punched in the head before a second man threw a bottle at him from close range, hitting him on the elbow.

Ambulance staff said a deep cut on Mr Smith's elbow would require stitches.

"I want to press charges," Mr Smith told police after the incident, which happened about 2pm.

Police yesterday agreed not to attend Mr Rayward's funeral after residents warned them to stay away.

A group of up to 30 men gathered in the park across the road from the crash site after today's funeral.

Mr Rayward and 19-year-old Matthew Robertson were killed when a stolen car crashed into a tree during a short police chase in Macquarie Fields last Friday night.

Thirty-one people have been charged with a total of 87 offences in relation to the four nights of rioting which followed.

Police are still seeking the alleged driver of the car, 20-year-old Jesse Kelly.

Team-mates from a local rugby league football team formed a guard of honour at Mr Rayward's service.

During the service Dylan's coach referred to him as a "champion bloke" and a "very special kid", saying "the only way he knew to go was straight and hard".

Mr Robertson will be buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery on Wednesday.

- AAP