Police warn Sheffield New Year's revellers to beware of drink and drug spiking during celebrations

Nearly 5,000 cases of needle and drink spiking incidents were reported in England and Wales after forces shared spiking reports with the National Police Chiefs' Council in the 12 months ending September 2022 as officers stepped up their focus on tackling the issue.

Police explained spiking is when offenders puts drugs or alcohol into victims’ drinks or bodies without their knowledge, or when someone is injected with drugs without their consent by ‘needle spiking’.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, said: “Behind each of these reports is a frightened victim whose night out has turned into a nightmare. I know from talking to victims of spiking how utterly terrifying it can be.

“Police forces have increased action against spiking with uniformed and covert operations in bars and clubs, working alongside venues to prevent and investigate spiking.

“Spiking is a complex and challenging offence to investigate. Drugs pass through the system quickly and there is often limited evidence to identify offenders, which means it’s not easy to get these cases to court.

“In order to have the best chance of identifying drugs and bringing offenders to justice, our message to anyone who thinks they have been spiked is to report early and be tested by the police.

“Don’t let the fact that you might have knowingly taken illegal drugs, stop you from reporting. It’s really important that if you do think you have been spiked and you have taken drugs that you let the officer know so that they have the full picture.”

After NPCC requested reports of needle spiking from all forces in September 2021 and of drink and other forms of spiking from May 2022, the following results were found:

There were 2,581 reported spikings by needle between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022. Between May 1, 2022, to September 1, 2022, there were 2,131 reported drink spikings.

There were 212 other types of spiking reported including by cigarettes or food between May 1, 2022, to September 1, 2022. The total number of reported cases between September 1, 2021, to August 31, 2022, was 4,924.

Figures show that 64 per cent of reports happen on weekends and 59 per cent take place in pubs, bars and clubs and seven per cent at private premises. The data also shows that the average age of those reporting spiking incident is 27, with 74 per cent of victims identifying as female.

Following the rapid rise in spiking reports during the autumn of 2021, police forces across the country increased their focus on spiking with high visibility police patrols across town centres and areas with a high density of pubs, bars and clubs.

In a number of towns and cities across England and Wales, uniformed police officers are visiting venues and speaking to visitors and work closely with licensed premises staff. Plain clothed officers are trained to look out for concerning behaviour, monitoring and questioning people who raise suspicions. Control rooms are also monitoring CCTV so that police officers can be sent directly to any suspicious or dangerous situations.

Officers can also carry out licence checks on taxis, bars and clubs, work closely with welfare organisations such as street pastors, and they help venues to step up their own security efforts such as increasing searches. Many venues have given extra training to staff to ensure that all reports of spiking are logged and reported immediately.

Up until the end of November 2022, 800 of these spiking reports had been sent for forensic analysis.

Police forces sent samples for forensic testing when the victim agreed for testing to take place, when samples could be taken within a timeframe that meant testing would be able to identify drugs and when investigators judged testing would be proportionate. It may not be judged as proportionate if, for example, a report was made of spiking at a festival eight days later and there were no other lines of enquiry to identify a suspect.

In three per cent of overall cases - where evidence of a controlled drug supported a spiking incident - police shared the results with the victim who confirmed the drug detected was not knowingly used by them. The most common drugs detected in these cases were cocaine, ketamine and MDMA – commonly known as ecstasy.

The majority of instances involving a controlled drug declared by the victim were illegal drugs associated with the night-time economy such as ketamine, cocaine or MDMA but also includes some controlled prescription drugs. These made up six per cent of overall cases.

In eight per cent of overall cases, there were also instances involving a prescription or over the counter drug such as anti-histamines which can have sedative side effects.

Police also recorded that 56 per cent of overall cases involved drugs deemed to be of no concern such as one that would not have a rapid sedative effect or cause confusion to a victim. The most common drugs of this type detected are paracetamol and quinine, which is a natural component found in tonic water.

Other cases reported have involved at least one controlled drug where police have not established if the drugs detected were knowingly used by or prescribed to the victim. Some of these will remain undetermined because the victim has stopped engaging with the police or because the investigation has been closed as there is no additional evidence to identify an offender. These cases made up 27 per cent of overall cases.

Jayne Butler, CEO Rape Crisis England and Wales said: “Spiking is a serious crime that can leave victims and survivors feeling frightened and disorientated. If you suspect you have experienced spiking you might be unsure what has happened to you, have vague memories, or feel confused. You might know you have been spiked but don’t know if you have been raped or sexually assaulted. No matter the circumstances, you are not to blame and support is available.

“At Rape Crisis we take every person's experience of being spiked seriously. Rape Crisis workers can help you to make sense of your feelings, support you to make any appointments such as medical examinations or forensic tests, and offer choice around whether you would like to report to the police. We’ll help you to explore your options, and support you to make decisions that feel right for you. You can also contact us for free, confidential emotional support, at any time of the day or night.”