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Mutiny festival deaths: mother of Georgia Jones, 18, describes her heartbreak Mutiny festival deaths: mother of Georgia Jones, 18, describes her heartbreak
(about 2 hours later)
A woman whose 18-year-old daughter died “after taking two pills” at a music festival in Hampshire has described her heartbreak as organisers cancelled the event and warned that a “dangerous high strength” batch of drugs appeared to have been in circulation. Two people died and another was in a critical condition on Sunday amid warnings that a “dangerous high strength” batch of drugs had been in circulation at a music festival in Hampshire.
In an appeal to other young people to avoid taking drugs, Janine Milburn said her daughter Georgia Jones was one of two people to die at the Mutiny festival in Portsmouth. In a Facebook tribute she said “my little girl was 18 and full of life” and asked people to share her post, adding: “I just hope this stops at least some of you from ending up the same … the more people that know the more she can hopefully save.” Georgia Jones, 18, was named by her mother on social media as one of those who died after taking drugs at the Mutiny festival in Portsmouth on Saturday night. Janine Milburn posted a tribute on Facebook saying that “my little girl was 18 and full of life” and urging young people to avoid drugs.
Her post, which said the teenager had suffered a fit after taking the pills, followed a statement from Queen Alexandra hospital that the two deaths on Saturday night were believed to be related to drugs. The other victim was a 20-year-old man. Another person remains in critical condition, the hospital said. The other victim was reported to be a 20-year-old man.
The second day of the festival, when Dizzee Rascal, Craig David and Sean Paul were due to top the bill, was cancelled by organisers on Sunday in a statement warning of a “dangerous high strength or bad batch substance on site”. With at least 15 festivalgoers admitted to hospital on Saturday night, the organisers cancelled the second day of the festival and issued a statement warning of a “dangerous high strength or bad batch substance on site”.
In total 15 festivalgoers attended hospital on Saturday night, although the admissions were “not necessarily all drugs-related”, the hospital said. The hospital said in a statement that the admissions were “not necessarily all drugs-related”. Nonetheless, the deaths prompted renewed calls for all festivals to provide drug testing facilities, which proponents argue drastically reduce drug-related harm and hospitalisations.
The deaths were being seen as separate incidents and were not being treated as suspicious, but Hampshire police said inquiries were being made to determine the circumstances. Amid reports that the pills in question were so-called “silver Audi” high-strength ecstasy tablets, testing charity The Loop reported that it had seen the same pill at a testing facility at Love Saves the Day Festival in Bristol over the weekend.
The force had said it would be clamping down on drugs before the event, saying it would search bags on entrance and adding: “Controlled drugs and psychoactive substances are not permitted”. While there were suggestions that the drugs may have been contaminated, two pills – which could include as much as 600mg of pure MDMA – is likely to be a potentially life-threatening dosage. In a social media post The Loop said that a batch currently in circulation contained “up to triple an average adult dose”, though it did not specify a link to the Portsmouth deaths.
The decision to cancel the second day, which organisers said was a “safety precaution”, prompted demands for refunds from disappointed customers on social media. The weekend’s deaths were being seen as separate incidents and were not being treated as suspicious, but Hampshire police said inquiries were being made to determine the circumstances.
Current ones in circulation are up to triple an average adult dose - start with quarter & regularly sip water. #JustSayKnow #TestNotArrest #TimeToTest https://t.co/ITwIDvqJ89
Fiona Measham, a director of the drug testing charity, told the Guardian that the deaths marked “a sad start to the festival season”.
She called on other festivals to work with local authorities to provide the service, which is mainly staffed by volunteers and receives no government funding. The Mutiny festival does not currently offer drug testing facilities on site.
Niamh Eastwood, executive director of Release, a charity which calls for drug reform, also called for more drug testing at festivals.
“The reality is that some young people will take illegal drugs,” she said. “What we need in every venue and festival where this happens are services that can reduce the harms and potentially save lives.
“However, often what we see are zero tolerance policies rather than harm reduction policies which put people at greater risk.”
In her Facebook post about her daughter, Janine Milburn said that her daughter suffered a fit after the pills caused her temperature to rise significantly. She asked people to share her post, adding: “I just hope this stops at least some of you from ending up the same … the more people that know the more she can hopefully save.”
Festival organisers said they were devastated to hear of the loss of life and had taken the decision not to open the festival today as both a safety precaution and in respect to those who have passed. The decision was understood to have been taken on police advice.
“Everyone on the team is devastated,” Luke Betts, the festival organiser, told the Guardian. “We cancelled today’s event because we could not take the risk. Safety has to come first.
“We issued a harm prevention warning yesterday because several people went to hospital with drug-related symptoms and we wanted to be proactive.
Expressing his condolences to the families of those who died, he added: “As you can imagine, this decision was not taken lightly and was taken with the support of the local statutory authorities who we continue to work with.”
The festival, which admits 16 and 17-year-olds, has previously faced criticism from police over its procedures for ensuring that children were kept safe.
In 2017 Hampshire police asked Portsmouth city council to increase the minimum entry age to 18, saying that its faith in the organisers had been “seriously undermined” after senior officers “raised serious concerns with regards to the ability of children to attend the event”.
The criticism followed an incident where a 13-year-old was allegedly sexually assaulted.
The force had said ahead of the event that it would be clamping down on drugs, warning that it would search bags on entrance and adding: “Controlled drugs and psychoactive substances are not permitted.”
“Even just dabbling in illegal drugs and psychoactive substances can have catastrophic and fatal consequences,” superintendent Paul Bartolomeo said in a statement last week.
Police were first alerted when Georgia Jones fell ill at the site on Cosham at 7.10pm on Saturday, while the man was found collapsed at 7.30pm.Police were first alerted when Georgia Jones fell ill at the site on Cosham at 7.10pm on Saturday, while the man was found collapsed at 7.30pm.
Both were taken to the Queen Alexandra hospital where they later died. Police said next-of-kin for both people had been informed and were being supported by specialist officers.Both were taken to the Queen Alexandra hospital where they later died. Police said next-of-kin for both people had been informed and were being supported by specialist officers.
A statement posted on the music festival’s social media accounts said: “Mutiny Festivals are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of life from its festival family today.”
It later added: “Following the terrible news from earlier today, the team behind Mutiny Festival are incredibly sad to announce that the Sunday of the festival has been cancelled as a safety precaution.
“The safety of our amazing customers has always been paramount to us and so to keep everyone safe and in respect to those who have passed, we have taken the decision not to open today.
“As you can imagine, this decision was not taken lightly and was taken with the support of the local statutory authorities who we continue to work with.”
The organisers also urged customers to “responsibly dispose” of any substances.The organisers also urged customers to “responsibly dispose” of any substances.
Police have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. Disappointed customers took to social media to demand refunds since the statement provided no such assurance.
Police have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. It is unclear whether there have been any arrests.
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