Brixton Academy security ‘took bribes to let people in without tickets as fatal crush investigation continues, it was learnt.
The south London music venue became too populated and led to a stampede where two people died in December.
Concert-goer Rebecca Ikumelo and guard Gaby Hutchinson both died after getting caught in the stampede at an Asake concert on December 15, with reports many ticketless people tried to force their way in.
One security guard said that guards would let about two hundred extra people into the venue for cash.
“There were people taking money… Some staff made £1,000 cash,” a guard, who is employed by AP Security, told the BBC.
“Our company knew what was going on and they knew the people who were doing it, and they did nothing about it.”
There is no suggestion that Gaby Hutchinson took bribes or let anyone in without tickets.
The whistleblower guard, using the fake name Rohan, added that there were only 110 security guards on duty on the night of the fatal crush, when there should have been 190.
He described the crush “like being in a car crash that’s been really awful – being crashed on and stamped on”.
Rohan said that things get “out of hand” when a few people bribe their way in, because word of the breach spreads – and other people try their luck.
When you let a few people in, they would text their friends, and they’ll text their friends,” he said.
“And the bouncers started being greedy, and it got out of hand. And people wanted to come in anyway, without a ticket.
“You can train someone to the max, but when that happens in front of you, you actually stop… you freeze.”
Rohan claimed that the subject of bribes had been brought up in staff meetings, but AP Security managers had not reprimanded guards accused of letting ticketless people in.
