T in the Park organiser to crack down on violence

The company behind T in the Park has promised it will take action to combat a record rise in festival violence.

More serious assaults were committed at Scotland’s biggest music festival last year than in the three previous years combined.

Police believe the rise is linked to a new type of superstrong ecstasy taken by some revellers.

There were six serious assaults at the event – the highest number yet recorded at the event, which was held at Strathallan Castle, near Auchterarder, in Perthshire, last July.

DF Concerts’ pledge to take action followed a meeting on Wednesday of Perth and Kinross Council’s community safety group. There, a senior councillor, Alexander Stewart, said: ‘This

‘All concerns will be addressed’

event is a huge economic generator for Perth and Kinross, but we have to ensure that the behaviour of the patrons is law abiding and the event is safe.

‘My confidence has certainly been dented with regard to both.’

He told the committee: ‘We have to go forward, to make sure our constituents feel confident about sending their friends and family to this event.

‘Lessons must be learned by Perth and Kinross Council, Police Scotland and all the other agencies involved to ensure that the event in 2016 does not suffer from the same issues.’

A T in the Park spokesman said: ‘All concerns raised will be addressed in the licence application for T in the Park 2016, which will be presented to Perth and Kinross Council later this month.’

DF Concerts has recently installed a new head of security and said last week that safety was its highest priority.