The police in England and Wales receive 561 reports a month of people having their drinks spiked—mainly in pubs and nightclubs—as the government set out a range of measures to combat the menace, stopping short of creating a specific new criminal offence.
The figures included 957 “needle spiking” incidents in which people reported being stabbed or injected with a hypodermic needle. Experts say it is almost impossible to inject drugs into someone’s body without them noticing it.
Home secretary, James Cleverly, pointed out there was no need to create a specific offence as spiking—adding an intoxicating drug into someone else’s drink without their permission—was already a crime under existing laws.
Mr. Cleverly said: “Spiking is a perverse crime which can have a lasting impact on victims. Our comprehensive new measures are designed to help police and staff in bars, restaurants, pubs and other premises to protect victims and bring more offenders to justice.”
But only a tiny percentage led to anyone being charged, let alone convicted.
A Home Office report suggested the problem was not the lack of a specific spiking offence, as it is covered by the Offences Against The Person Act 1861, but simply a lack of evidence which meets the threshold to prosecute.
Data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council found suspects were only identified in 12.5 percent of cases and, of those, only four out of 378 resulted in a charge.
Needle Spiking was ‘Fleeting’ Phenomenon
“Following the peak in autumn 2021, the number of spiking incidents has progressively decreased,” she said.The Home Office report said needle spiking turned out to be a fleeting “phenomenon” and has not become more widely prevalent since 2021.
Ms. Farris told the House of Commons on Monday the government planned to amend the Criminal Justice Bill.
She said, “One of the reasons that we are changing the law today and making spiking crystal clear is to improve public confidence and make victims feel encouraged to come forward, because we know that that is the first bit of the jigsaw.”
Ms. Farris said: “We are not in any doubt as to who the frontline responders are. Festivals, yes, are a primary location. So are student campuses. Of course, bar staff come into this.”
In 2022 the government committed to look at new legislation but earlier this year ministers confirmed a specific offence for spiking would not be created as it was considered unnecessary.
But this week the Home Office announced it would offer training to hundreds more pub and club doormen to help them spot potential perpetrators and signs of spiking.
The Home Office will also fund more research into self-testing kits and introduce easier ways of reporting spiking.
Michael Kill, chief executive of Night Time Industries Association, said the, “omission of spiking as a specific crime in the latest measures falls significantly short of expectations, considering the gravity and far-reaching impact of this criminal activity.”
The shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, Alex Davies-Jones said, “Labour have called for spiking to be made a separate offence to increase people coming forward and the chance for convictions, and for every police force to have a rape and serious sexual offence unit.”
“The Conservatives are finally moving in the right direction but there is more work to do when, as figures from earlier this year showed, spiking reports had risen fivefold but the proportion leading to charges fell,” she added.
