Mutiny Festival 2018: Festival to bring in ID restrictions to improve event safety

Organisers have promised to improve security following allegations of violent crime, including sexual assault, involving youngsters at May’s festival in Cosham.

Yesterday councillors rejected calls from police to ban under-18s from the festival, but ordered organisers to make the event safer.

A licensing meeting heard that police had repeatedly asked the festival since it was started in 2014 to make sure youngsters were protected while on site.

Ed Elton, barrister on behalf of the police, told the hearing that the ‘wheels had come off this year’ after more concerns had been raised.

He added: ‘The problem only exists because under-18s are at the festival.’

But event co-organiser Luke Betts warned if the event was restricted to people over 18 it ‘would not be viable’.

He said it may lose out on headline acts who would not be interested in playing at an adult-only event.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: ‘Good old-fashioned British common sense has prevailed.

‘99 per cent of people are well-behaved and we will make sure they are safe and not affected by the actions of others.’

Changes include requiring under-18s to produce photographic ID, although they would not be required to be accompanied by an adult.

New wristbands will be introduced to keep track of under-18s and a new safeguarding manager will be recruited.

Other alleged incidents this year included an 17-year-old girl hit by a bottle of drink, and a boy, 13, who was found drunk a short distance from the event having been punched four times in the face.

Festival organisers were also told to monitor and report back on noise levels at next year’s event after complaints from residents.