PFD report

Benjamin Thomas Dinan BUCKFIELD · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 1 Aug 2025•Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

View original report
Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
2

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 2 recipients

Stated actions
2

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Failure to eject festival attendees found bringing unlawful drugs onto the site
  2. Failure to disrupt the open trade in unlawful drugs
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. Action

    Work with the Safety Advisory Group and event organiser to manage concerns about the festival’s unlawful-drug policy.

    Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight ConstabularyStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 4 August 2025.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.2

  1. Position

    Event management, including preventing drug supply, is the organisers’ responsibility under the nationally agreed Purple Guide.

    Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight ConstabularyRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to eject festival attendees found bringing unlawful drugs onto the site

Wider context from the report

“2. I heard evidence that those found bringing unlawful drugs into Boomtown are not ejected from the site unless they are considered to be carrying quantities that are consistent with being a drug dealer, or they have associated dealer paraphernalia. Those who are found in possession of unlawful drugs who are not considered to be dealers have their drugs confiscated and are allowed entry onto site. I am concerned that as a consequence there is no disincentive for festival goers who attempt to take drugs into Boomtown and that the policy gives rise to a situation where those who have had drugs taken from them will want to replace them. I am concerned that these factors give rise to a demand for, and a market in, the sale of illegal drugs at Boomtown. I heard evidence from a senior officer of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary who was Gold Commander for Boomtown who also expressed a concerned about this policy. I am concerned that this, combined, with the first concern, give rise to risk of future death. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

No recurring-concern membership is currently published.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to disrupt the open trade in unlawful drugs

Wider context from the report

“1. I heard evidence that illegal drugs were freely available to purchase at the festival. One of Ben’s friends described how dealers would walk through the campsites shouting the names of the drugs they were offering to supply. I was told this took place as regularly as every twenty minutes and that they saw nothing done to try and disrupt this trade. I am concerned that an unchecked, open and free trade in unlawful drugs will create a risk of future deaths. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

No recurring-concern membership is currently published.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Work with the Safety Advisory Group and event organiser to manage concerns about the festival’s unlawful-drug policy.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Constabulary remain concerned about this policy but it is a matter to be considered by the Safety Advisory Group as the Constabulary does recognise that the Organisers policy is in line with National guidance and the basis for this policy was articulated by the organisers at the inquest. The Constabulary will manage this concern by working with the SAG and event organiser. As a result of measures brought in through the continual improvement cycle, the event improved in 2025 compared with 2024 and further improvements are expected in 2026, in relation to the concerns raised.”

Source location

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary
Page 1 · response
Published 4 August 2025

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Event management, including preventing drug supply, is the organisers’ responsibility under the nationally agreed Purple Guide.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Management of an event, including drug supply and its prevention are the responsibility of the organisers in line with the nationally agreed “Purple Guide”. The Police play an active role via the Safety Advisory Group and review its position regularly. The Constabulary will continue to do so and feedback nationally but notes that the 2025 Boomtown event showed evidence of the changes discussed at the inquest, coming to fruition, as there were less incidents.”

Source location

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary
Page 1 · response
Published 4 August 2025

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

The organisers’ policy on unlawful drug possession is a matter for the Safety Advisory Group and event organiser to consider.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Constabulary remain concerned about this policy but it is a matter to be considered by the Safety Advisory Group as the Constabulary does recognise that the Organisers policy is in line with National guidance and the basis for this policy was articulated by the organisers at the inquest. The Constabulary will manage this concern by working with the SAG and event organiser. As a result of measures brought in through the continual improvement cycle, the event improved in 2025 compared with 2024 and further improvements are expected in 2026, in relation to the concerns raised.”

Source location

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary
Page 1 · response
Published 4 August 2025

Open published response

Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. 1

    Continue regularly reviewing the constabulary’s position through the Safety Advisory Group and provide national feedback.

    Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight ConstabularyStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 4 August 2025.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Continue regularly reviewing the constabulary’s position through the Safety Advisory Group and provide national feedback.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Management of an event, including drug supply and its prevention are the responsibility of the organisers in line with the nationally agreed “Purple Guide”. The Police play an active role via the Safety Advisory Group and review its position regularly. The Constabulary will continue to do so and feedback nationally but notes that the 2025 Boomtown event showed evidence of the changes discussed at the inquest, coming to fruition, as there were less incidents.”

Source location

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary
Page 1 · response
Published 4 August 2025

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026