Coatbridge High School pays tribute to teenager Marcus Dick after SWG3 'drug death'

August 16, 2023

Tributes have been paid to a "kind, thoughtful" teenager who died following a DJ event in Glasgow.

The 18-year-old, who has been named locally as Marcus Dick, died after attending SWG3 on Saturday where DJ Ben Hemsley was headlining.

Another man of the same age also died after attending the event.

Police said both deaths are being treated as drug-related but they are not believed to be linked.

Marcus was a former pupil of Coatbridge High School in North Lanarkshire and headteacher Christine Creaney paid tribute to him.

She said: "On behalf of the whole school community, I would like to convey my deepest condolences to Marcus's family at this very sad time.

"He was a popular young man with a large friendship group and showed himself to be a kind, thoughtful and valued member of our school community.

"We are devastated by this news and our thoughts are with his friends and family. We will offer support to our pupils at this difficult time."

The SWG3 event - within the venue's Galvanisers Yard - took place between 2pm and 10pm on Saturday. An afterparty was then held indoors until 3am on Sunday.

One of the teenagers became unwell in the Constarry Road area of Croy, North Lanarkshire, at around 11.20pm on Saturday.

He was taken to University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The second man collapsed at the music venue at around 2.20am on Sunday.

He was taken to the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Read more:
Deaths of teenagers investigated as 'drug related but not connected'

On Facebook, a spokesperson for SWG3 said: "We are absolutely devastated that there were two fatalities amongst audience members following the event on Saturday.

"We are currently supporting the police with their inquiries and our deepest sympathies are with the family members and friends at this incredibly difficult time."

Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, divisional commander for greater Glasgow, previously said: "So far in our inquiries it has been established that both of these men, who were unknown to each other, attended the same event in the Eastvale Place area of Glasgow on Saturday night.

"However, inquiries remain ongoing and although we are investigating both deaths as drug-related at this time, there is no evidence to suggest there is a connection between these deaths.

"We are committed to establishing the full circumstances and are working with the venue, colleagues in the NHS and Public Health Scotland as our inquiries continue to ensure a partnership and public health-led approach."

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