Walsall Council has revoked the premises licence at a town centre nightclub following the death of a 51-year-old outside the venue last month. West Midlands Police said it had ‘no confidence’ that Discotheque.Life on Lichfield Street could be run safely.
Superintendent Pervez Mohammed called an urgent review after customer Kevin Taylor died outside the club, known better as DeCode, on December 7. Taylor had only ‘taken a few steps’ when he was allegedly involved in an altercation with someone who had also left the venue.
READ MORE: First picture of ‘hero’ dad who died after being found injured in Walsall street
Kevin, 51, was found unconscious shortly before 5am on December 7 after being allegedly punched. He was later pronounced deceased by medics.
Kejuan Malone, Birmingham, was charged with manslaughter and was due to give a plea at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday, January 7, but did not do so.
The urgent summary meeting was called by West Midlands Police on the grounds that the venue was associated with ‘both serious crime and serious disorder’. At the meeting on December 12, Walsall Council’s licensing committee decided to issue a 28-day suspension on licensable activities pending a full hearing.
The full hearing took place on January 6. West Midlands Police licensing officer Jennifer Mellor described the CCTV footage of the incident as ‘heartbreaking’. In her statement, Mellor said: “From CCTV footage, what appears to be security staff from the venue who had witnessed the male on the floor and in close proximity failed to report this matter to the police.
“We believe at least two members of the security team at the venue were in the presence and witnessed the victim on the floor after the event. As a licensing officer, I am appalled at this lack of reporting.
“People disperse, as do the door staff; the venue is closed, and the shutters come down whilst the male is left outside on the pavement. My Taylor is seen by CCTV operators who saw a member of the public carrying out CPR. It is at this point the CCTV operators alert the police and ambulance service. This is 25 minutes after the assault took place.
“During the time period, Mr Taylor lay on the floor, and the venue or staff did not phone the police or ambulance service. They did not report this to management as the owners informed the police they were not aware of the incident. They did not preserve the scene, the venue closed the shutters leaving an injured male on the floor outside their venue.”
West Midlands Police Sergeant James Whittaker said the CCTV footage was ‘harrowing’. In his statement, it said: “The CCTV footage shows the offence being committed and once Kevin Taylor was on the floor, metres away from the venue itself, there appears to be staff that had either been hired or employed by Decode night club that had gone over to Kevin Taylor and failed to assist in any way, either medically or supportively to ensure that he was OK.
The police scene on Lichfield Street in Walsall, December 2024
“It was harrowing to witness so many members of the public, which includes door staff, look at Taylor on the floor and not offer any intervention and in most circumstances, stand, stare and take photos and/or videos of Taylor on the floor.”
While the death of Kevin Taylor triggered the licence review for the premises, officer Mellor stated several other alleged incidents involving the club in the months before December 7. On June 1, it was reported that a female punched a male in the face after she accused the male of spiking a drink that he offered to buy her.
On October 7, a male was reportedly knocked unconscious who had just exited DeCode. He was approached by an unknown male and hit, suffering a bleeding nose, swollen eye and face. It was heard that on October 6, a male was hospitalised with a ‘ripped ear’ when 20 youths attacked him. Officer Mellor said none of the incidents had been reported to the police by the venue.
West Midlands Police also had concerns over the Sunday events being held at the club. In the meeting, it was heard that the events would be publicised on social media without a location. Hours before the event was due to happen, the location would be announced.
Officer Mellor questioned how the licence holder or management could facilitate staffing and security requirements given the short notice of each event. While Isaac Cobbinah-Koompong is the licence holder of DeCode, it is his brother, Jacob Cobbinah, who is the director.
Officer Mellor said Jacob Cobbinah called her after the venue was issued a 28-day ban on the licence on December 12. She said: “Jacob Cobbinah called back stating he had watched the footage and in his opinion, this was ‘not a fight, it was one punch’. Mr Cobbinah continued that this had nothing to do with his venue as his shutters were down and the door staff finished at 04.30 hours, so he was not employed by him after that time. He continued stating he felt this was a personal attack on him and his venue.”
It was also heard that Jacob Cobbinah had left the venue at 2.30am on the night of the incident, and left someone in charge who he did not know the full name of. Officer Mellor said: “Jacob Cobbinah, despite working with this lady who they left in charge, had no idea of her full name and was unable to confirm if this member of staff had the necessary qualifications.
“It shows that the licensing objectives are not being observed, and indeed, their actions and the lack of responsibility are seriously undermining them. It also shows that the disregard for the safety of customers and compliance with guidance runs across the venue and its staff. There is a high security issue, a public safety issue and shows a lack of responsibility and failing leadership.
Dad Kevin Taylor
(Image: WMP)
“In my professional opinion, management is taking so-called private hire bookings at this venue without regard for the licensing objectives, namely crime and disorder, public safety and public nuisance, and are doing so purely for financial gain. We have tried to engage, explain and encourage with both the premises licence holder and his brother, however there does become a point where action needs to be taken, especially now given this trigger incident. We believe the licensing objectives have been seriously undermined, which resulted in a fatal outcome, and it really doesn’t get much worse than that.
“The fact is, when DeCode were closing their shutter doors, Mr Taylor was lying on the floor in sight of these doors. DeCode did not believe it was their responsibility to assist, a duty of care, a bit of humanity. The head doorman left, as did all the other customers, apart from one male whom we can see on the footage, who, in my book, has my gratitude for all his efforts and his determination.
“The venue has been unable to work with the current conditions on the licence. West Midlands Police do not believe that adding further or revising the conditions will allow the premises licenceholder to adhere to these. West Midlands Police are asking for the revocation of this licence.”
The licence was transferred to Isaac Cobbinah-Koompong in April 2024. He is also the premise licence holder at East Lagon on Market Square in Bloxwich. It is understood the Bloxwich venue was going to close. The legal representative for Cobbinah-Koompong, Duncan Craig, said the conditions on the licence were not clear or easy to understand. Craig said: “West Midlands Police said that the licensing objectives have not been promoted as they could or should. On behalf of my client, that is an unreasonable conclusion to draw.
“My client understands what a desperately sad situation this is. He understands he is a responsible person as the licence holder and is in the firing line. What are the conditions on the licence? It has to be precise and clear, it has to be worded in a way that is easy to understand so they know what is expected of them.
“These conditions here, most of which either duplicate statutory requirements, are worded in such a way that they are unclear and, to some extent, even contradict each other, and many of them aren’t enforceable. This licence, as it stands, is frankly not fit for purpose. When my client takes the licence and it’s transferred to him, he needs to be in a position to understand what is expected of him.
“I do accept there have been some shortfalls. What I have to say is this, though: simply because the premise licence holder hasn’t complied with the licence, and there has been a tragic event at the premises, it doesn’t and cannot automatically follow that means the licence should be revoked.
“It’s absolutely right to say if you have a nightclub with a search policy on the licence, and someone came into the venue with a weapon, the searches hadn’t been taken place properly and the tragedy happened, well, of course in those circumstances that failure in the relation to the licence, has had a causal effect on what has happened. But it cannot be a case that there is a carte blanche rule that in every circumstance where somebody hasn’t been compliant, that is the end of things. If that is the case, every time frankly, you will nearly always find a breach, some record that’s not been filled in, a personal licence holder not present on the premises at a particular time.
“I’ve met Isaac, and he’s not presented any of the responses that have been attributed to his brother and was desperately upset when he saw the footage. I think he’s a decent guy and I think it’s unfair how a shadow has been cast upon him. He’s a decent person and wants to make as many improvements as he possibly can.
“The easiest thing for you to do is to revoke this licence. But I’m going to ask you to consider a more nuanced approach. I invite you to delete all existing conditions and replace them with the ones which I have proposed which are contained in page one. My client understands the position he is in and he didn’t push back any of these conditions.”
The conditions included comprehensive staff training, refresher training, a refusals register, incident book, ID scanner on entry, search on entry, introduction of a dispersal policy, conditions relating to public safety, the installation of a bleed kit among several others.
Craig added: “It just can’t be the answer every time something bad happens and somebody has not quite been compliant with the licence that you take the business away.”
Gary Grant, legal representative for Walsall Council, said: “The sub-committee have considered all the representations from West Midlands Police as well as those made by Mr Craig on behalf of the licence holder. The decision of the sub-committee at the full review is to revoke the premises licence. The sub-committee went onto consider what interim steps should be in place pending any appeal or the expiry of the appeal period and have determined that the suspension of the licence is appropriate and proportionate in order to promote the licensing objectives. That decision is enforced as of immediately. The full written decision will be forwarded to the parties in the coming days.”