Andy Munns
Ahead of New Year’s Eve parties, police are reiterating advice on what to do if you or someone you know may have been spiked – report to Wiltshire police and get tested by them quickly.
Police forces in England and Wales shared spiking reports with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) in the 12 months ending September 2022. Nearly 5,000 cases of needle and drink spiking incidents were reported, including in Wiltshire, where there were 11 reported.
Spiking is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into another person’s drink or body without their consent or knowledge. This is illegal even if no other offence is committed. People can also be the victims of ‘needle spiking’, which is injecting someone with drugs without their consent.
Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Vinton, from Wiltshire Police, said: “We continue to work closely with licensed premises and our partners across the county through initiatives like Project Vigilant – where officers have been deployed in plain clothes as part of a drive to spot the signs of predatory behaviour.
“We have been working with venues across the county to build greater understanding and thoroughly investigate all reports we receive.
“Our approach is very much perpetrator focused and based around making the night-time economy a hostile place for those thinking of committing offences.
“Any reports of spiking will be investigated and taken seriously.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said: “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.”
What should I do if I think I’ve been spiked?
Call 999 or 101 to report it to the police. We need to know about every possible spiking so we can investigate, even if no other crime has taken place. If you are out in a bar or club, you can report to a member of staff who will be able to help and support you.
If you are injured or have symptoms you are worried about after being spiked, call NHS 111.
If you think you’ve been sexually assaulted, you can go to your nearest sexual assault referral centre (SARC) for specialist care and support. At a SARC you can receive a medical or forensic examination (whether or not you decide to report to the police).
If you’ve been affected by crime and you need confidential support or information, you can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111.
What happens when I am tested?
Police will take a non-invasive urine sample. Some drugs leave the body in a very short time (within 12 hours), so it’s important to test as soon as possible. Other drugs remain in the body longer, so testing will be considered up to seven days after the incident. The test the police use is the most effective way of finding out whether you have been spiked.
If you are tested in a hospital or by your GP, you will need to also have a police test, as this is what can be used as evidence to support charges or convictions.
If you tell the police how much you have drunk and whether you have voluntarily taken drugs, we will be able to provide a more accurate result. It is not a crime to have illegal drugs in your system (unless you are driving), so please don’t let this stop you reporting spiking.
The test results will come back in three weeks and will be discussed with you.
More information can be found here: Spiked drinks and date-rape drugs | Crime prevention | Wiltshire Police
