Liam Hampson death: Barcelona nightclub CCTV shows league star’s final moments

The final movements of Liam Hampson before his death in a Barcelona nightclub have been revealed by the club manager after they were captured on chilling CCTV footage.

WARNING: The following report contains potentially distressing details.

The manager of the Spanish nightclub where Liam Hampson reportedly plunged to his death has delivered a chilling account of the Queensland rugby league player’s final moments.

Redcliffe Dolphins grand final player Hampson was found dead at Barcelona nightspot Sala Apolo on Thursday morning (AEST) following what is believed to have been an accidental fall.

Hampson, 24, was holidaying in Europe with a number of NRL stars including Gold Coast’s AJ Brimson and Brisbane Broncos duo Jordan Riki and Jesse Arthars.

Hampson was separated from his friends in the early hours of Tuesday morning (Spanish time), with Brimson raising the alarm on social media after Hampson had been uncontactable for 30 hours.

Hampson’s body was reportedly found in a part of the venue which is not commonly accessed.

Director of the Sala Apolo, Albert Guijarro, spoke to Barcelona radio station RAC1 to explain what allegedly happened to Hampson as captured by CCTV.

Liam Hampson (left) with his mum Lorna Morton (right) on Mother's Day

“The entire route that Liam took is recorded, step by step,” he said in a translated transcript of the radio interview.

“From the great room, he leaves through one of the doors and Liam leaves through the emergency door in front of him.

“He hesitates, he is indecisive, he goes to close it because a friend says something, but he continues.

“He goes through another emergency door and goes out to a very large terrace that Apolo has.

“There he goes to urinate, and once he’s done, he realises that all the doors he came out of can’t be opened from the outside.

“Without thinking about it, he jumps a 1.5 metre wall.”

After jumping that wall, Hampson is reported to have fallen to his death. Initial reports from Spanish police suggest it was an accident.

Liam Hampson was on the trip of a lifetime with his friends

Guijarro said Hampson’s body was found before Brimson’s social media post pleading for information.

“We saw the body before friends started posting it on the internet. It was around eleven in the morning,” he said.

“A mobile phone rang with a sound that we didn’t know where it was coming from, we finally saw that it was coming from the ducts.”

According to reports in Spain, police believe Hampson’s friends lost him within the Apolo nightclub and assumed he would meet them back at their hotel.

When the 24-year-old did not show up, his friends – including Titans’ fullback Alexander ‘AJ’ Brimson and Broncos stars Jordan Riki and Jesse Arthars – contacted Hampson’s family and raised the alarm with police.

His friends had launched a frantic social media campaign asking for anyone with information on their missing friend to contact them before the devastating news was confirmed.

CLUB BREAKS SILENCE

Extending their condolences to the family, the Sala Apolo nightclub said they would be working closely with the police as the tragedy was investigated.

“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.

“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.”

Hampson’s family have travelled to Barcelona where a post-mortem will be carried out. However, under Spanish law, the results will not be made public.

A GoFundMe campaign started with the aim of raising $50,000 to help the Hampson family bring their son’s body home raised more than $72,000 in just six hours.

Among the more than 1200 people to contribute to the fund, organised by Brisbane Broncos forward and close friend Riki, included Kalyn Ponga, Alex Glenn, Reece Walsh, Anthony Don, Paul Sironen and Charlotte Caslick.

“On behalf of Liam’s family and friends we would like to support his beautiful family in helping getting Liam home,” Riki wrote.

Originally published as Liam Hampson death: Barcelona nightclub CCTV shows league star’s final moments