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Mum of Croydon rave death teenager Daniel Spargo-Mabbs: 'Another child has died and he won't be the last unless we act'
THE mother of a schoolboy who died after taking ecstasy at an illegal rave has called for the police to do more to stop the events following the death of another teenager who collapsed at an unlicensed party.
Rio Andrew, 15, died in hospital on Monday, two days after falling ill while at an illegal rave held in an empty building in East Croydon.
Police believe drugs were involved and are investigating whether the talented athlete drank from a bottle containing the party drug ketamine.
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, whose son Daniel, 16, died after taking drugs at a similar event in January, said this week: "Another child has died and he's not going to be the last. Something has to change."
A 19-year-old man, who is recovering after being taken to hospital during the event, has told police he too drank from a bottle shortly before he collapsed.
More than 3,000 people went to the illegal rave at the former Royal Mail delivery office in Cherry Orchard Road.
A large number of those who attended last Saturday's event – rife with drugs such as ketamine, MDMA and cocaine – were children, some as young as 14.
Rio is the second child in the last six months to die after attending such an event.
Archbishop Tenison's pupil Daniel Spargo-Mabbs collapsed after taking ecstasy at an illegal rave in west London on January 18 and died two days later in hospital.
Mrs Spargo-Mabbs has since set up a foundation in her son's name to warn others of the dangers of experimenting with drugs.
"What happened this week is absolutely awful, but I'm not surprised because these places are such incredibly dangerous environments," she told the Advertiser.
"Perhaps this is what it takes for something to change. With Dan dying and now Rio, it shows this is something that has to be stopped.
"Croydon is at the heart of highlighting how serious it is. A Croydon boy died at a rave and now a boy has died at a Croydon rave.
"We have to act. Unless there is a crackdown I can't see this problem doing anything but growing."
Following Saturday's rave – at which officers in riot gear were pelted with missiles when they tried to shut it down – the police have promised to get tough on those organising unlicensed parties.
However, Commander Simon Letchford said officers were limited in what they could do because of the secretive way in which the parties are organised and how difficult it can be to control crowds.
Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said: "I can understand why the police have problems with it, but I would like to think they are not insurmountable. Otherwise you have an environment which is completely lawless and that cannot be allowed to happen in a civilised society, especially not when children are involved.
"I'm not blaming the police. It's a very challenging situation, but I would hope there are wise and experienced heads in the force who can come up with some kind of solution.
"There has to be a way that police can stop this from happening, otherwise you have really dangerous situations, out of control, and more lives will be lost."
An emergency meeting of senior police and council staff on Monday was told that detectives believe Rio collapsed after drinking from a bottle of beer containing ketamine, a horse tranquiliser used as a party drug.
A post-mortem examination was held in Croydon on Wednesday, but results had not been released as the Advertiser went to press.
The 19-year-old who is recovering in hospital may also have consumed a "spiked" drink. Six other people were taken to hospital, including a 16-year-old who had his little finger ripped off while trying to break a fire alarm.
Speaking to the Advertiser on Wednesday, Commander Letchford defended the decision to allow the event to continue after fire extinguishers, furniture and masonry were thrown from the building at officers below. So far 14 people have been arrested for various offences.
He said: "It was a difficult operational decision. Clearly closing down an event with thousands of people would require a significant amount of police officers.
"We have never tolerated [illegal raves], but it's about whether closing them down is the best tactic at the time. Often it's not.
"What we are now going to do differently, and this will be a good test case, is to start to go after those people who organise these events, and where they have committed offences, bring them to justice."
While illegal raves have been around since the 1980s, they are attracting larger, and younger, crowds because they are being organised through social media.
Mrs Spargo-Mabbs, whose foundation spoke to pupils at Harris Academy Crystal Palace this week about Rio's death, believes the organisers – and the musical acts – need to be far more responsible.
"There's no regard for human life at these events," she said.
"I've been told of raves where there was no free water yet there was drugs openly being pushed everywhere.
"They seem primarily interested in making money. If 3,000 people turn up and you charge £15 a head then you've made nearly £50,000, with very little in the way of overheads.
"There are massive financial incentives for people organising these raves to carrying on doing them exactly as they are.
"But the adults who organise and perform at these things need to take responsibility and realise the danger they are putting children in."
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Lillian's Law fundraising ball raises thousands for bereavement services
THE family behind the Advertiser's drug-driving campaign Lillian's Law have raised thousands of pounds to support bereavement services through an event in the schoolgirl's memory.
The Lillian's Law Fundraising Ball was a resounding success, raising £5,302 which will now be given out over the coming years to ensure other families who suffer loss get the help they need.
"It was a really special night, the sort of special thing that only happen once in a lifetime," said Lillian's aunt Michaela Groves.
"In part, it was a tribute to Lillian and how much she meant to us all. If she was there she would have absolutely loved it.
"It was brilliant to raise money – more than we ever expected. It's going to go a long way."
More than 300 people, including friends, family, industry experts and politicians, packed The Warren, in Bromley, for the event last Thursday evening.
During an emotional first half of the ball, guests were addressed by Lillian's parents, Gary and Natasha, and then shown pictures of her growing up.
Advertiser reporter Gareth Davies then explained how the paper and the family joined forces after Lillian was hit and killed by a speeding driver, who had taken drugs, in June 2010.
The campaign, launched in August 2012, prompted a change in drug-driving legislation, including a new offence created last year and, in the coming year, the use of roadside testing devices.
Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell, a strong supporter of the campaign, read out a letter to the family from Prime Minister David Cameron and went on to praise them for the bravery they had shown.
He later told the Advertiser: "I thought it was an incredibly moving event. I never had the chance to know Lillian, but when you see the way in which her family have responded to this terrible tragedy, then you could have confidence she would have grown up to be a very fine young woman.
"I am sure she would have been very proud of what her family have done in her name."
After the meal, the fundraising began. A raffle and an auction helped bring in the money, including two women who paid a total of £450 for tickets to see Peter Andre, donated by the singer.
Guests were then treated to a performance by Britain's Got Talent ventriloquist Steve Hewlett, who offered up tickets to his Fairfield Halls show for the cause.
Money raised will support groups like Woodside Bereavement Service, which helped Lillian's family after her death by taking them on a bonding day.
Michaela said: "Raising so much money means we can spread a little bit of Lillian's spirit as far as possible. Natasha said: "The bonding day we went on was out first day together as a family without Lillian. It was difficult but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. "Things like that have a huge impact on the lives of those who have lost someone, so it was amazing to be able to raise to much to help them in Lillian's name."
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Croydon Village Outlet 'still looking for a buyer'
CROYDON Village Outlet (CVO) is still looking for a buyer, the Advertiser understands.
Its parent company Metro Outlet Croydon Ltd has been run by administrators from UHY Hacker Young LLP since April.
Company director Marco Cash asked the High Court to put the company into administration after racking up too many debts.
The store is trading as normal in the meantime, and in theory could run under administration for a year or more.
Neelofar Khan, who represents traders in North End mall, inside the CVO building, said they had been given no news about CVO.
She added traders were looking forward to the redevelopment of the site, which is due to form part of the planned £1 billion Westfield /Hammerson shopping centre.
Ms Khan, chairman of the North End Mall Traders' Association, said: "What we are finding is that footfall has consistently gone down.
"We have got lots of passers-by from the tram station into the Whitgift Centre but we are not getting many of the kind of people who help us ring the tills.
"The sooner as they get the bulldozers in, the better for Croydon.
"We want to expand as small businesses and the new Westfield businesses will help everyone and give us some opportunities."