Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2018

Ellie Knowles

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2018-0202, written 18 Jul 2018. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report18 Jul 2018
Reference2018-0202
DeceasedEllie Knowles
CoronerKaren Dilks
Coroner areaNewcastle Upon Tyne
CategoryAlcohol, drug and medication related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text recovered by OCR from a scanned PDF. OCR is imperfect: check anything you rely on against the source PDF. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

Karen Dilks
Senior Coroner for the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: Neil Bainbridge, Director of Shindig Events Ltd,
71 Cleveland Road, North Shields, NE29 ONW

CORONER

| am Karen Dilks, Senior Coroner for the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

| make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and
regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.

http://www. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/schedule/5/paragraph/7

http://www. legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1629/part/7/made

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST
On the 9 November 2016, | commenced an Investigation into the death of Ellie Mae Knowles.
The Investigation concluded at the end of the Inquest on the 3 July 2018.

The conclusion of the Inquest was Misadventure.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

On the 5 November 2016, Ms Knowles attended a Dance/Music event, organised by Shindig
Events Ltd, within Warehouse 34, Hoults Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne. The Yard and Warehouse
is owned by Hoults Ltd. Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is acknowledged to be used
in association with and at Dance Music Events.

Entry to the event was by ticket only. At the point of entry, ticket holders were subjected to
limited search. No female staff were onsite to effect searches of female ticket holders.

Ms Knowles entered the event with a quantity of MDMA in her possession which she consumed
within the main dance floor of Warehouse 34. Many other ticket holders including Ms Knowles
boyfriend and other friends used MDMA and/or other controlled substances.

Ms Knowles became unwell and was assisted to the first aid area.

One qualified first aider (Level 3, Emergency Care Assistant) was in attendance. Ms Knowles
was assessed, the seriousness of her condition identified and emergency assistance called.
She later died due to Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Toxicity.

Shindig Events Ltd subcontracted responsibility for provision of first aid and security
requirements for the event. No written record of the assessment of Ms Knowles taken and
action by the Emergency Care Assistant of was retained.

No records of attending security staff and their requisite licence to operate was kept.

No written guidance on required search procedures or upon seizure of items including controlled
drugs, following such search was given.

Lord Mayor’s Gallery, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8QA
Tel 0191 2777280 | Fax 0191 2612952

CORONER’S CONCERNS

Although oral evidence of remedial action and change in practice was provided by Shindig
Events Ltd, the Coroner remained concerned as detailed below:

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. —

(1) No evidence was provided of written guidance/direction for Shindig Events Ltd
employees and/or those with whom they subcontract of standards required in respect of:

a. Numbers and qualifications of first aid staff to be provided at dance music
events

Robust recording by first aid staff of patients attended and action taken
Numbers of security staff required at dance music events

Scrutiny of the licence to operate status of security staff

Extent of search of ticket holders required to be undertaken by security staff
Robust system for recording items (including controlled drugs) seized at search
and safe storage of those items

m~pao

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

To prevent future deaths | believe you, Neil Bainbridge, Director of Shindig Events Ltd, have
powers to take such action.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by
12 September 2018. |, the coroner, may extend the period.

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the
timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed.

COPIES and PUBLICATION

| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons:

Mr and Mrs Pegdon

Charles Hoult, Director of Hoults Ltd

| have also sent it to Chief Inspector Pickett of Northumbria Police and

Kerry Walker, Newcastle City Council Legal Services Department may find it useful or of interest.

| am also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response.

The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He
may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest.
You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the
release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner.

Dated 18 July 2018

Signature. = ( 4 Du AG
Senior Coroner for the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne

Lord Mayor’s Gallery, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NEI 8QA
Tel 0191 2777280 | Fax 0191 2612952
Also filed under 2018-0202: Ellie-Knowles-2018-0202.pdf
Karen Dilks
Senior Coroner for the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: Mr Charles Hoult, Director of Hoults Ltd
Walker Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2HL

4 CORONER

| am Karen Dilks, Senior Coroner for the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne

2 CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

| make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and
regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.

http://www. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/schedule/5/paragraph/7

http://Awww. legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1629/part/7/made

3 INVESTIGATION and INQUEST
On the 9 November 2016, | commenced an Investigation into the death of Ellie Mae Knowles.
The Investigation concluded at the end of the Inquest on the 3 July 2018.

The conclusion of the Inquest was Misadventure.

4 CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

On the 5 November 2016, Ms Knowles attended a Dance Music event, organised by Shindig
Events Ltd, within Warehouse 34, Hoults Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne. The Yard and Warehouse
is owned by Hoults Ltd. Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is acknowledged to be used
in association with and at Dance Music Events.

Entry to the event was by ticket only. At the point of entry, ticket holders were subjected to
limited search. No female staff were onsite to effect searches of female ticket holders.

Ms Knowles entered the event with a quantity of MDMA in her possession which she consumed
within the main dance floor of Warehouse 34. Many other ticket holders including Ms Knowles
boyfriend and other friends used MDMA and/or other controlled substances.

Ms Knowles became unwell and was assisted to the first aid area.

One qualified first aider (Level 3, Emergency Care Assistant) was in attendance. Ms Knowles
was assessed, the seriousness of her condition identified and emergency assistance called.
She later died due to Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Toxicity.

Shindig Events Ltd subcontracted responsibility for provision of first aid and security
requirements for the event. No written record of the assessment of Ms Knowles and action by
the Emergency Care Assistant was retained.

No records of attending security staff and their requisite licence to operate was kept.

No written guidance on required search procedures or upon seizure of items including controlled
drugs, following such search was given.

eee —eEe

Lord Mayor’s Gallery, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8QA
Tel 0191 2777280 | Fax 0191 2612952

CORONER’S CONCERNS

Although evidence was given on behalf of Hoults Ltd that no further similar events are to be held
within Warehouse 34, Hoults Yard, a licence permitting such events in the future remains in
force.

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. —

(1) That Houits Ltd should establish a robust internal protocol requiring consultation with
Northumbria Police Licensing Officer, Newcastle City Council Licensing Officer and all
other appropriate stakeholders as a precondition to the planning and holding of similar
dance music events within their premises at any future time.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

To prevent future deaths | believe you, Charles Hoult, Director of Hoults Yard Ltd, have
powers to take such action..

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by
12 September 2018. I, the coroner, may extend the period.

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the
timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed.

COPIES and PUBLICATION

| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons:

Mr and Mrs Pegdon

Neil Bainbridge, Director of Shindig Events Ltd

| have also sent it to Chief Inspector Pickett of Northumbria Police and

Kerry Walker, Newcastle City Council Legal Services Department may find it useful or of interest.

lam also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response.

The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He
may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest.
You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the
release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner.

Dated 18 July 2018

Signature.
Senior Coroner for the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne

Lord Mayor’s Gallery, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NEI 8QA
Tel 0191 2777280 | Fax 0191 2612952

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