A CORONER has questioned if under 18s should be banned from music festivals following an inquest into the death of a Saddleworth teenager.
Anya Buckley was 17 when she died at the Leeds Festival on August 24, 2019.
Senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin concluded Anya’s passing was drugs related due to mixed drugs toxicity in her system including cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy).
But Mr McLoughlin has also sent a prevention of future deaths report (also known as Regulation 28) to Leeds City Council who grant a premises licence for the annual event at Bramham Park.
In the report, Mr McLoughlin said during the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern.
These included young people aged 16-17 gaining admittance to Leeds Festival without any adult supervision.
It was also stated: “As teenagers are not legally permitted to be in public houses or night clubs, it seems anomalous that they should be free to spend the while (sic) night in an environment where illicit drugs and alcohol are prevalent.
“The mixture of potentially vulnerable young people and available illicit drugs creates a tempting situation for these excited teenagers and exposes them to the potential harm which illicit drugs can inflict.”
He noted: “In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your organisation has the power to take such action.
“As Leeds City Council licence the Leeds Festival, it is for them to consider whether admitting 16-17-year-old teenagers into the festival – when they are not permitted in other licensed premises – amounts to an abdication of responsibility in relation to impressionable and potentially vulnerable teenagers.”
He noted evidence given by Miss Buckley’s mother, Lisa Bulmer, that entry should be restricted to people under the age of 18.
“In fairness, evidence was also given in relation to a) the difficulty of checking age and b) the possibility that young people will search for excitement elsewhere if they cannot attend well organised festivals and c) the casualty rate of those adversely affected by drugs is low when set against the huge numbers of young people attending.”
The inquest at Wakefield Coroner’s Court heard the former Saddleworth School pupil attended the Festival on Friday, August 23, 2019.
During the evening she took various illicit drugs and collapsed around 3am. Despite CPR from
on-site medical personnel, she could not be revived and was pronounced dead at 3.42am.
Mr McLoughlin’s report added: “You (Leeds City Council) are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of this report namely by Friday, 12th March, 2021. 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.”
In a statement issued at the time of Anya’s death, Leeds Festival’s Police Commander Superintendent Matt Davison said: “This is a tragic incident and I hope serves as a timely reminder to others of the risk of taking illegal substances, particularly when mixing different types of drugs and drinking alcohol.”
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