34 shocking incidents alleged at Middlesbrough Empire

There have been reports of a stabbing, women being groped, violent door staff, a bouncer using a homophobic slur, clubgoers being glassed and a man knocked unconscious.

Middlesbrough Council will hold a hearing on Friday, July 8, to decide whether the venue’s licence should be revoked, changed or remain the same.

In May, Cleveland Police submitted an application to the council to review Empire’s licence after two violent incidents were linked to under-18s.

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On Sunday, May 1, a 19-year-old clubber was stabbed in the back and taken to James Cook University Hospital. Three boys, one aged 15 and two aged 16, were arrested and then released under investigation following the assault – all three were known to children’s services.

On April 3, an underage drinker got into a fight with another man and was injured after he was hit in the face. The previous day, a mother reported that two underage children had gained entry to the club and were drinking.

However, these are not the only incidents and Cleveland Police has now released a ten-page list of reports it has received about the club. Other documents published in the lead up to the licensing hearing also mention spiking issues and bouncers taking back handers.

Middlesbrough Council licensing manager Tim Hodgkinson visited the club on February 7 this year to discuss concerns with Empire managing director Ashley Wem. Mr Hodgkinson said: “Mr Wem advised that he was aware of the issue and that he had recently sacked a member of door staff for accepting ‘back handers’ to allow access.

“He also stated that they were doing their best to prevent access but that it was difficult as occasionally customers already inside the premises would open the fire exists to the side of the premises to allow access to their friends who were underage. They stated that as a result of this door staff would then search the premises to identify and eject those responsible.”

As part of PC Andrew Thorpe’s witness statement, he said he had been sent photos of a 17-year-old and her 16-year-old friend inside the club with Empire manager Peter Hope. Cleveland Police analysts have found an increase in incidents compared to 2019/20.
Between July 2019 to February 2020, there were 12 reported violent incidents, however between July 2021 to February 2022 there were 57, almost five times as many. There were no incidents recorded involving underage drinkers between July 2019 to February 2020, yet there were eight between July 2021 to February 2022.

The Middlesbrough Empire has introduced a raft of new measures to clamp down on underage drinkers and crime. A new ID scanning machine has been installed, which scans the customer’s ID into the machine and checks it’s not fake.

The first time a clubgoer uses the machine, they will need to scan their fingerprint but on subsequent visits, they will be able to return to Empire and simply press their finger on the machine without needing their ID.

The club also has six new HD cameras, maglocks for fire exits, and two new facial recognition cameras, which will flag if anyone enters who has been banned. It also maintains a log book of people who are refused entry.

Representatives from public health, children’s services, and licensing have all come out in support of the review sparked by Cleveland Police. These are the  details about the 34 incidents shared by the police:

Incident 1: Saturday, December 11, 2021, between midnight and 1am the following morning a female was in the venue with her friends when a man she did not know started hassling the group. The female asked him to leave them alone. Without warning the man has punched the female victim in the face. The female has sustained a large bruise on her face.

Incident 2: In the early hours of Sunday, December 19, 2021, around 12:04am, Cleveland Police received a report that there were six males fighting inside The Empire. On attending they found three victims of assault and one of the victims had also been the subject of a theft.

Incident 3: During the early hours of Friday, December 24, 2021, at around 2:29am a victim contacted Cleveland Police stating that the door staff at The Empire had grabbed him and dragged him out of the venue where he was assaulted by an unknown male. The victim sustained a swollen face along with marks on his face sustained from dragging. His clothes were also ripped in the fracas.

Incident 4: On Saturday, January 8, 2022, at 5:50pm a report was made that at approximately 2:30am that morning the injured party entered the toilets in The Empire when he was attacked by a group of males. They did seek medical attention and the cut above his eye was treated and closed with steri-strips. The victim also sustained bruising and a black eye as a result of the attack. He could not identify his attackers.

Incident 5: On Saturday, January 22, 2022, at 4:42pm a female victim reported to police that she had been hit over the head with a bottle, sustaining a cut above her eye which required medical attention. The victim was dancing with her friends in The Empire when she felt the bottle strike her. The cut had to be glued and closed with steri-strips by the hospital.

Incident 6: Late on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at around 11:46pm, staff at The Empire contacted police stating that they believed that a male in the smoking area had a knife on him. Staff had been having issues with the male for the past hour. It transpired that this was part of another incident where a male victim was on the dance-floor with friends when a male barged in to him pulling on his shirt. The victim turned around to see who was pulling on his shirt when the assailant head-butted him in the face causing him to fall to the floor. Police attended the venue and the assailant was pointed out by the victim and arrested by police. The victim sustained a broken nose as a result of the attack and was attended to at James Cook Hospital.

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Incident 7: During the early hours of Sunday, February 6, 2022, a female reported to the police at 3:23am that her boyfriend had been assaulted and was on the floor with ambulance in attendance. The female stated that the victim had been ejected from The Empire by door staff when a group of males have attacked him outside punching him in the head.

Incident 8: A female contacted the police at 2:07pm on February 6, 2022, the following day after a night in The Empire. She reported that as she walked past the DJ booth a male started to be abusive to the caller’s friend and pushed the caller. The caller reacted and the male responded by hitting the female victim with a bottle on the head. The female victim fell to the floor and the male hit her again with the bottle and then again. The caller attended the hospital with a head injury which was glued together at hospital.

Incident 9: A report was received at 1:17am on Friday, February 11, 2022, that there was a fight ongoing at The Empire between four door staff and a male. Middlesbrough CCTV reported that a male was bleeding from the head. The male kept going back to the door staff at The Empire gesticulating and taking his shirt off. Police attend and arrest the male for assault on the door staff.

Incident 10: Police received a call at 3:23am on Saturday, February 18, 2022, reporting a fight at The Empire, reports that a male had been assaulted and the possible sighting of a knife. On arrival of the police, it was found that three to four males had been fighting. One male had sustained a broken nose but no knife was found.

Incident 11: On Sunday, February 20, 2022, at 3:25am, it was reported that a male had been assaulted and had sustained a head wound which was bleeding. The incident had happened outside The Empire, and ambulance had also been contacted. When police arrived they were directed to the suspects who were arrested at the scene. The victim sustained a head injury, a broken collar bone and had a foot print on his face.

Incident 12: A call to the police was received on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at 1:35am stating that his friend had been assaulted badly by one of the door staff and that he was bleeding from one of his eyes. One male was arrested for disorder and a crime was recorded for assault.

Incident 13: At 2:32pm on Sunday, February 27, 2022, a parent reported that her daughter had been assaulted at The Empire at around 11:30pm on Saturday February 26 2022. A female approached her daughter and threw a drink over her, the victim asked what she was doing and the assailant punched her in the nose which started to bleed immediately. The female victim attended hospital where the injury was glued and due to the swelling the hospital believed it could be broken.

Incident 14: During the early hours of Sunday, March 6, 2022, between 1:30am and 2am the male victim was in the licensed premises. While he was on the dance floor a glass bottle was thrown hitting him on the head, knocking him unconscious and causing a cut to his head. The male victim required hospital treatment.

Incident 15: On Thursday, March 17, 2022, between 11:30pm and midnight, the male victim was in The Empire with a group of friends. The male was on the dance floor dancing when he was approached by a member of door staff who made comment about his dancing and his sexuality, offending the male. The door staff also made threats to the male grabbing hold of the victim on three occasions. The victim spoke to the manager after the incident but the venue did not report the incident to police. The victim reported the incident himself later that day.

Incident 16: This incident also happened between Thursday, March 17, 2022, and the early hours of Friday March 18 2022. The male victim was out with friends and was in The Empire, he had a lot to drink and his friends placed him on a sofa to the right of the entrance, at this time he has had no injuries. When they returned they saw door staff dragging the male out of the venue. When they catch up to the male he has sustained injuries, a badly swollen and blood-shot eye, two cuts above his eyebrow, a two-inch scratch on the skin over his collar bone and bruising under his arms.

Incident 17: During the early hours of Saturday, March 19, 2022, at around 2:25am the venue has contacted police regarding a group of males who have been refused entry and are becoming aggressive with door staff. They had walked away but returned to confront door staff again. Police attend and arrest one of the males for being drunk and disorderly.

Incident 18: A report was made to the police on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at 10:26am stating that a male had been assaulted by the door staff, he was treated at the time by ambulance who also reported the incident earlier that morning at 03:18am. Both reports allude to an attack on the male by door staff. The victim sustained a swollen and cut lip, and bruising/soreness around the rib area.

Incident 19: A concerned parent contacted Cleveland Police on April 3, 2022, at 12:50pm to state that her 15 and 16 year old children had both managed to get in to the venue (The Empire). The caller stated she is aware of seven underage children who have managed to get into The Empire. The caller stated that her children presented as extremely drunk when they returned home.

Incident 20: A parent contacted Cleveland Police to report her 16-year- old son has been assaulted while he had been out on Saturday, April 2, 2022. At first her 16-year-old son told her it was a house party, when challenged he admitted he had gained entry to The Empire and was assaulted when he was outside the premises. The victim has had one of his top teeth dislodged and a split lip. The victim has clearly stated in his report to police that he has gained access to The Empire without being asked for ID and then later in night left The Empire and has then been involved in a fight.

Incident 21: On April 5, 2022, intelligence has been received from a source that The Empire is allowing underage drinkers into the venue without asking for ID to be produced.

Incident 22: The caller was at The Empire nightclub during the early hours of Friday, April 8, 2022, with friends. A member of door staff has tried to eject the male caller and has used a homophobic slur against the male. Another member of door staff has tried to diffuse the situation but the original member of door staff has grabbed the male victim pinning him to the floor and hitting him.

Incident 23: Middlesbrough CCTV centre contacted police during the early hours of Sunday, April 10, 2022, at around 3:48am, advising there were females fighting outside The Empire. Ambulance have attended and found an injured male, the side of his face is swollen. Ambulance have identified that the male has a broken nose and take him to an accident and emergency department. On leaving The Empire the male has been attacked by unknown males, one has hit the male to the face causing the resulting injuries.

Incident 24: Middlesbrough Council CCTV have contacted the police on Friday, April 22, 2022, at 3:35am, there is a male laid out who has been in a fight and have requested ambulance to attend for the male. The male has allegedly been attacked by door staff at The Empire causing injury to him. The male refused assistance from the ambulance but was persuaded to go to hospital and taken there by police.

Incident 25: On Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 12:39am a caller reported that there was a disturbance ongoing. A further report from the victim on April 27 2022 stated he had spent two days in hospital, and that he believed he was assaulted by a member of door staff from the Empire and a further seven persons. He sustained a deep cut to the chin which required stitches and sustained injuries to his legs. The group the victim was with had all been ejected by the door staff. The group had tried to get back in and there was a confrontation between the door staff and the group, resulting in the male sustaining injuries.

Incident 26: During the early hours of Sunday, April 24, 2022, at around 1:37am the victim contacted Cleveland Police to advise that he had been assaulted by a male known to him inside The Empire. The aggressor had struck the victim in the side of the face resulting in a cut above the victims left eye which required treatment.

Incident 27: An adult female victim contacted Cleveland Police during the early hours of Friday, April 29, 2022, at around 3:10am stating that while she was in the queue for the Empire a male groped her bottom. Once inside The Empire a group of males started to hassle her and her friends, the group included the male she believed had groped her. The door staff have ejected the female victim and her group and have ignored her complaint when she has tried to give her account. The female victim has made a complaint of sexual assault by touching to the police and expressed her disappointment at how the door staff dealt with the issue.

Incident 28: During the early hours of Saturday, April 30, 2022, at approximately 1:50am a caller reported a male being aggressive with the door staff and requested CCTV coverage. Further reports indicate that there was fighting inside the premise when police arrive at the venue. Officers reported that a male was punched and knocked unconscious but was breathing. Other males causing issues resulted in one male being arrested for public disorder offences.

Incident 29: After a busy Saturday night into Sunday morning, police received an urgent call on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:17am from a male whose friend had been stabbed while inside The Empire. The male victim had a puncture wound to his back and was bleeding and had to be taken to hospital for urgent treatment. The victim sustained internal bleeding with blood on his lungs. The victim had a verbal altercation with a group of young males inside The Empire and when he walked away he had felt a sharp pain to his back. Three of the males arrested and interviewed by police are underage, two were 16 years old and one was 15 years old, they were inside The Empire and had been drinking alcohol. There is an ongoing investigation into a serious assault.

Incident 30: Late on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at around 11:57pm the police control room received a call stating that a male was being violent with the door staff who have ejected him for issues inside the venue. He had been ejected half an hour before and was still causing issues with the door staff trying to fight them. The male left prior to police arriving.

Incident 31: In the early hours of Sunday, May 29, 2022, at around 3:50am leading on from a busy Saturday night, the police received a report of a male with a possible machete at the side of The Empire. When police arrive they spoke to the victim who was attacked inside the venue by an unknown male who punched him in the back of the head. When the victim left the venue the same male has been outside and has again punched him in the back of the head. Fortunately the victim did not sustain any serious injuries. The male was arrested and interviewed.

Incident 32: A report was made to the police on the morning of June 2, 2022, at 9:32am detailing that he had been in The Empire on the Wednesday night (June 1 2022). He had been upstairs with his girlfriend when a bouncer had come up to them and asked the male for his wristband without explanation. The male refused and the member of door staff got the male to the floor and started to punch him in the face. The male sustained a cut to his cheek and a black eye as a result of the incident. The male stated that the manager of The Empire had intervened, apologised and paid for the male’s taxi home. He also stated the manager contacted him later and told him that the member of door staff had been sacked.

Incident 33: The same incident was reported again by a third party. The third party reported seeing a member of door staff confront a male and female on the upper dance floor shining a torch on the male. They saw the door staff asking the male to leave and the male and female ask the door staff what they have done. The member of door staff grabs the male and drags him down the stairs off the dance floor, then dragged bodily down another two flights of stairs, ripping the males t-shirt in the process and the male also lost a shoe. The reporting person notes that the male had bruising and red scratches to the right side of his cheek.

Incident 34: In the early hours of Sunday, June 12, 2022. at around 1:59am a report came in to police of two females fighting with staff at The Empire. The two females had been ejected for their drunkenness and had tried to get back under the barriers when they were stopped by door staff. The females have become aggressive both verbally and physically.

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