October 15, 200916 yr Shame of drunken student caught urinating on war memorial during 'Carnage' mass pub crawl By Chris Brooke Last updated at 5:23 PM on 15th October 2009 Comments (172) Add to My Stories In full public view a drunken young man urinates over a city centre war memorial, soaking wreaths of poppies laid as a tribute to the dead. It's a shocking scene that will appal any person, even in a country where binge-drinking has become an accepted pastime for so many. Ironically, it will come as no surprise to discover the man concerned is a 19-year-old university student who was taking part in an organised mass pub crawl in Sheffield. Appalling: Philip Laing is caught urinating on a war memorial during the Carnage student bar crawl in Sheffield During the course of the seven-hour drinking marathon there were all too familiar scenes of debauchery. Scantily-clad women collapsed on the street, while young men dangerously ran through passing traffic oblivious to the dangers. Around 2,000 university students took part in the Carnage UK event. Organised through a website by a private company, students paid £10 each to take part in the drinking session on Sunday night. More... Just one more: 'Drunk' man stumbles into shop in search of MORE beer... and havoc ensuesCoroner's binge-drink warning after gifted schoolgirl with 9 A* GCSEs drinks herself to death at house-warming partyHealth chiefs back minimum pricing on alcohol to cut binge drinkingNo more happy hour? British holidaymakers to face £7,000 fines under new Spanish booze crackdown For their money they got an official T-shirt and access to all seven club and bar venues involved in the event. As dozens of students in Sheffield were drinking themselves into oblivion similar scenes were taking place in Cardiff where around 3,000 university students took part in a Carnage UK event there. Ashamed: Before urinating on Sheffield's war memorial, Laing was in such a shocking state that he curled up for a sleep in front of a shop window As the night progressed two people were taken away in ambulances and one was arrested by police in the Welsh capital for a nightclub assault on a woman. Splashed across the back of the official t-shirt was a list of 'tasks,' including 'have fun with a fresher, harass a steward and snog five randoms,' which according to the event's Facebook page needed to be fulfilled 'by those getting in to the spirit of things.' Many of the students were in fancy dress to adhere to the 'doctors and nurses' theme. By the end of the night at least half of the students who stumbled out of Embrace nightclub in Sheffield city centre appeared worse the wear for drink. Oblivious: Martin Murray, 19, dangerously runs through passing traffic in Sheffield None more so than Philip Laing, 19, a sports technology student at Sheffield Hallam University. At around midnight he was in such a shocking state that he curled up for a sleep in front of a shop window, only to be woken by a group of giggling girls. Laing then ran across the street, falling down and hitting his head on the pavement in the process. He was then helped to his feet and walked over to the First World War memorial in Baker's Pool where he urinated over the monument. People in the area seemed oblivious to his actions. But the incident was reported to security staff who washed down the memorial with buckets of water. South Yorkshire Police said if he had been seen he would have received a fixed penalty fine. Drinking into oblivion: Student Karen Conlon, 19, (on the ground, R) and Adam O'Shea, 18, © in Sheffield Worse for wear: During the seven-hour bender in Cardiff, a scantily-clad girl collapses on the street Laing at the time was in no fit state to comment, but his friend Ross White, 19, said: 'It's been a brilliant night so far. Every night's a big night when you're a student, we've got to get in amongst them, do you know what I mean?' Another teenager said: 'This is the biggest night of the year so you've got to make the most of it.' By 2am the the street was littered with puddles of sick, discarded kebab wrappers, pieces of broken glass and the Carnage revellers who couldn't make it home. The memorial's desecration was condemned by Russ Murray, general manager of the regional Royal British Legion. Doctors and nurses theme: Many students needed medical attention during the Carnage bar crawl in Cardiff He described the student's actions as a 'despicable act.' He said: 'Whether he has intentionally done it or not realised because of drink it is deplorable and outrageous. 'There are people of his age who are currently serving in Afghanistan who have suffered as a result. This is a war memorial and stands for the sacrifices people have given in the past and continue to do so today. Behaviour like this is appalling.' Mass pub crawl: Carnage participants were given an official T-shirt and access to all clubs and bars involved Yesterday a now sober Mr Laing issued an apology through his university. He said: 'I am deeply ashamed of this photograph and I am sincerely sorry for my behaviour. I didn't realise how much alcohol I had consumed that night and also hadn't eaten since lunchtime, which worsened the effect. I have no recollection of the events in the photograph, although I recognise that this does not excuse my actions. I apologise unreservedly for any offence I may have caused.' Carnage UK is run by Birmingham-based Varsity Leisure Group Ltd. It operates similar events across the country, covering '45 student cities.' Excessive drinking: It all gets too much for one fresher on the Cardiff pub crawl Revellers: Around 2,000 students took part in the Carnage event in Sheffield The company, headed by managing director Paul Bahia, 29, has faced criticism from student groups for being 'irresponsible' and there have been calls for such events to be banned. The website warns students that 'ID will be required at all venues' and states that 'Carnage encourages responsible drinking.' Free soft drinks and discounted food is available to revellers, while guidelines advise those taking part to 'drink in moderation and do not binge.' It also insists the venues do not offer cut-price drinks promotions and unpaid stewards are on hand to 'supervise' and monitor drinkers going from one venue to another. Responsible drinking: Stewards escort the 2,000 students on the bar crawl Debauchery: Thousands of freshers take part in the Carnage bar crawl in Cardiff A statement from the Varsity Leisure Group said: 'VLG has the greatest respect and admiration for all those who lost their lives in the defence of this country. It is appalled and saddened by anyone treating a monument to commemorate those people in a disrespectful manner.' It added: 'VLG’s events are managed very responsibly. VLG works hard and closely with local Police to ensure that the events take place without major incident.' Alcohol poisoning: Gavin Britton died after a fresher's pub crawl at Exeter University in 2006 Today Exeter University officials voiced their outrage over planned Carnage events in the city, where a student died following a binge-drinking session in 2006. Business student Gavin Britton died on a pub crawl with the university's golf society, just days after starting his course. He was caught on camera the night he died standing on chairs and downing spirits - including one cocktail which contained twelve shots. Gavin, of Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, was found in the street still wearing his fancy dress costume. The Carnage events are expected to take place on October 25 and November 15 in several pubs Gavin visited before his death. Exeter Police Commander John Vellacott said: 'We understand that Carnage UK is a legitimate company but we had a student die on a similar event. 'Any kind of event that encourages and includes binge drinking to such an extent that medical attention is needed is not welcome.' A spokesman for Exeter's Student Guild added: 'We in no way endorse this event. The message portrayed by the title and nature is not something we agree with.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220579/Carnage-Shame-drunken-student-caught-urinating-war-memorial-mass-pub-crawl.html#ixzz0U1apUyNu
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