Police have concluded an operation targeting anti-social behaviour, alcohol-related crime and drugs at the ‘This That’ concert in Newcastle., NSW Police say
The multi-stage music event was held on Saturday (5 November 2016), and attracted about 12,000 people.
A high-visibility police operation took place across the event to help ensure attendees enjoyed the festival safely, including officers from Newcastle Local Area Command, with the assistance of Operational Support Group officers, Police Dog Unit, and Traffic and Highway Patrol officers.
Unfortunately, despite all the warnings regarding the dangers of illicit drug use police, still made 46 drug detections, with 46 people charged, and officers issued two infringement notices for fail to quit.
Of note, 108 people were treated by members from St John Ambulance with six people conveyed to John Hunter Hospital, and a 26-year-old man taken to Mater Hospital in an induced coma where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
Police are looking at a possible link, after a 19-year-old man was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical after falling from the balcony of an apartment block in the early hours of Sunday morning, having been at the festival earlier.
Superintendent John Gralton from Newcastle City Local Area Command said the safety and wellbeing of attendees is the number one priority of police when conducting these operations at music festivals.
"Police worked closely with the organisers of the event to ensure that most of the festival goers were able to enjoy the featured acts safely and without the dangerous effects of illicit substances or anti-social behaviour," Superintendent John Gralton said.
"People need to realise that high-visibility police operations are par for the course at major music festivals. If you bring illicit drugs to these events, chances are you will be caught.
"It is unfortunate that the message about the dangers of illicit drugs does not appear to be getting to some people who attend these festivals," he said.
