Liam Hampson was found dead in a Barcelona nightclub. Photo / Instagram
Liam Hampson was found dead in a Barcelona nightclub. Photo / Instagram
The final movements of league player Liam Hampson before his death in a Spanish nightclub have been revealed in chilling CCTV footage.
Albert Guijarro, director of the Sala Apolo nightclub, where Hampson disappeared, told local media that security footage, which has now been turned over to police, recorded the entire route the 24-year-old took leading up to the tragic accident.
The Queensland rugby league player had not been seen for 30 hours after disappearing while partying with a group of NRL players in Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Friends reportedly lost contact with the Redcliffe Dolphins player about 5.30am, prompting public pleas for help from Gold Coast Titans player AJ Brimson as well as Brisbane Broncos duo Jordan Riki and Jesse Arthars.
Hampson was found dead more than 30 hours after he vanished.
Horrified club staff found Hampson’s lifeless body at the bottom of a hole in an outside area, and believe he fell 10m to his death.
The nightclub where Liam Hampson was found.
Speaking to radio programme Versió RAC1 on Thursday, club director Guijarro said CCTV cameras captured Hampson leaving the main room of the Apolo through one of the emergency doors, even as one of his three friends tried to stop him.
According to Guijarro, Hampson went through another door and out onto a terrace to urinate but then could not get back in because the doors were closed.
In order to get back, Hampson scaled a 50m wall and jumped over it, then fell through a 10m hole through which the ducts pass.
Guijarro said it was “illuminated all the way” but that Hampson “jumps to a place that is not even in the middle of his route, it is not very well understood why he does this”.
He added that staff at the club could hear a mobile phone ringing as Hampson’s friends tried to locate him, but didn’t know where it was coming from.
Regional Mossos d’Esquadra police officers said the reason it took so long to find his body is because it was located in an excluded area of the club.
“It was in an internal patio which was not part of the public area of the nightclub,” the policeman told Daily Mail Australia.
“I don’t know how he would have got into that part of the building but he accessed it and from there fell around 10 metres to an interior patio. The fact it wasn’t a public area helps to explain why the workers who raised the alarm didn’t do so until Wednesday lunchtime local time.”
It comes after a chilling final photo emerged of Hampson, taken mere hours before his death.
The image, taken by a photographer at nightclub Sala Apolo, shows Hampson smiling in the background.
Riki is in the foreground of the image giving a woman a kiss on the cheek.
Hampson had been enjoying an off-season holiday around Europe with a group of friends including NRL stars Brimson, Riki and Arthars.
Riki started a GoFundMe campaign with the aim of raising $50,000 to assist in bringing Hampson’s body back to Australia.
“On behalf of Liam’s family and friends we would like to support his beautiful family in helping getting Liam home,” Riki wrote.
“Also supporting his family through this difficult time. As we all know Liam was a beautiful soul who brought people together with his love, wisdom and jokes.
“Liam was an outstanding talent on and off the football field, if it was helping his teammates win a nail-biting game or educating kids and many others on life and his wisdom. We love Liam and any donation would go a long way.”
Within four hours, the campaign had raised about $60,000 as members of the rugby league community, including Kalyn Ponga, Taane Milne, Justin Holbrook, Alex Glenn, Reece Walsh, Anthony Don, Paul Sironen and Charlotte Caslick, rallied.
Managers at the Sala Apolo nightclub told News Corp Australia that they were “beyond appalled” by Hampson’s death.
“These are sad and very painful moments. First of all for all the people who are affected by the unforeseeable accident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday 18th October in the outdoor area of Apolo venue,” the club said in a statement.
Liam Hampson posted this photo last week alongside NRL stars AJ Brimson and Jordan Riki with the caption “my life is fantastic”. Photo / Supplied
“It’s been sad as well for those of us who are part of the organisation.
“The management and the entire Apolo team are beyond appalled by what happened and we express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Liam Hampson.
“We have placed ourselves at the disposal of the Mossos d’Esquadra police force and will continue to do so in relation to any matter concerning the fatal accident.”
“We are so heartbroken. Liam was the best brother I ever could of asked for and made me a better person.
“We cannot express our grief.
“We cannot thank the boys he was travelling with enough for assisting with his search and made sure his last days were the best of his life. Going to miss you so much, Liam.”
Hampson’s father Brett said the whole family was “devastated” and “heartbroken” by the news.
“Waking up to the news no one wants to hear, we are devastated to find out that Liam had an accident and sadly has not survived,” Brett wrote.
“We are heartbroken to say the least. Liam had a heart of gold and was a much loved son, brother, grandson, uncle and friend. Words can not express our grief.
“We cannot thank his mates enough for being there with Liam having the time of his life and assisting in the search for our boy. Our thoughts are with them.
“We are asking the media to respect our privacy as we work through this time.”
Barcelona police also confirmed to 7NEWS a body believed to be Hampson had been found.
“This morning, nightclub staff where Liam was seen for the last time, found a body on the floor in an area of the nightclub, Sala Apolo,” they said.
Police confirmed the death was being treated as an accident.
Riki issued a tribute to Hampson, sharing three heartbreaking Instagram stories.
Both the Australian consulate and Hampson’s family have been contacted by Spanish authorities.
Sala Apolo is described as one of the oldest dance halls in Europe and hosts events every night of the week.
Hampson had been enjoying an off-season holiday around Europe with a group of friends including NRL stars Brimson, Riki and Arthurs.
Images from their Instagram accounts show the group holidaying through Munich, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Positano and Paris before they travelled to Barcelona.
The group had presumably been coming to the end of their European trip, given pre-season training for NRL clubs who missed the top eight this year is due to begin in just a few weeks.
Hampson attended Keebra Park State High School on the Gold Coast with Brimson before the pair played their junior rugby league together at the Tweed Seagulls.
While Brimson moved on to the Titans, Hampson moved to the Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland’s domestic rugby league competition where he played as a hooker.
He had played in 37 games for Redcliffe, scoring nine tries.
However Hampson was not a member of the club’s top tier list for their inaugural season in the NRL in 2023.
News Corp reports that a handful of Australian players in England for the Rugby League World Cup knew Hampson, including Brisbane forward Patrick Carrigan.
Team officials confirmed to News Corp that Hampson was known to players who are involved with the World Cup campaign.
