SWG3 given warning after teens ‘ bought drugs in club’

TWO teenagers who attended events at Glasgow’s SWG3 club before their deaths had taken drugs bought in the venue, the city’s licensing board heard.

Scott Allison and Marcus Dick, both 18, died in August last year after visiting the premises, and an 18- year- old woman died in January.

SWG3 was warned by the licensing board yesterday after Police Scotland reported drug and search policies did not appear to be “fully followed” on the night of the August event.

A Police Scotland representative said the two 18- year- olds, who had attended the event separately, were searched on entry and no drugs were found.

Scott Allison took unwell after leaving the event and later died in Monklands Hospital. Friends advised police they were sold drugs in the premises and “the deceased consumed a quantity of pills believed to be ecstasy”.

Marcus Dick became unwell while leaving the venue and was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he died. The officer said it had “not been established where this person sourced drugs from, however, a postmortem revealed very high levels of MDMA and cocaine within their system”.

“The person’s friends were of the belief he had taken drugs at the event,” the police report added.

Board members heard how the Eastvale Place venue’s drug and search policies were “found to be very detailed and sufficient” by Police Scotland, but “did not appear to be fully followed on the night” of the August event.

A police review found “a few anomalies that required to be tightened up” in SWG3’ s procedures.

However, it added it had “gone above and beyond in many ways”.

Police were told by the venue’s management that if customers were found with a “small amount” of drugs and passed an “attitude test” then they were permitted entry. The drugs would be “disposed of in front of them”.

Bob Javaheri, operations director at SWG3, said the attitude test, which is no longer in place, had been used with “the hope of affecting change in that person”.

He said an “impressionable” 18- year- old with a single pill would have it confiscated and would be “given a telling by security”.

Officers told staff to start implementing a “zero- tolerance approach in relation to persons attempting to enter with drugs” and make sure they are “properly logged”.

According to the police report, on January 1, relating to the death of the 18- year- old woman, a friend had “purchased two pills from an unknown person within the premises, which they both took”. Staff later noticed she “appeared to be unwell” and were “informed initially that the person was suffering from a diabetic hypo”. They were later told the person had “taken a pill believed to be ecstasy”.

Following treatment on- site, the woman was transported to hospital via ambulance and admitted to intensive care. She died on January 4.

Police Scotland was not made aware of the incident until that date.

Management believed ambulance control would notify the police. The board ruled that in future, if anyone is taken by ambulance from the premises to hospital, SWG3 must tell Police Scotland at the time.

Peter Lawson, representing SWG3, said the deaths were “an absolute tragedy” and a “terrible loss”.

He said: “I would urge you not to suspend, vary or even revoke this licence.

“My clients are running a nationally important venue, they have made it as safe as they possibly can, but I can guarantee to you that they will continue with their efforts to ensure the welfare of their customers remains at the heart of this operation.”

Drugs were also found by security staff and police during searches at club nights on December 2, February 10, February 17 and March 9. A number of people have been charged in relation to these discoveries.

Police have inspected the venue on 25 occasions since August 13 and identified no issues.

They reported staff have been “cooperative and helpful” and the premises has “a robust drugs policy in place which is now being fully followed and complied with”.

At the hearing yesterday, board members decided against suspending or revoking the venue’s premises licence – instead opting for a warning.