Spiking spate won’t abate

The new term has seen several suspected cases of drink spiking in York bars and clubs, with dangerous outcomes for victims.

While North Yorkshire Police claim that crime figures show that there has not been an increase in drink spiking reports, it is often the case that these crimes go unreported due to the difficulty of proving their validity and securing convictions.

In 2009 it was revealed that only 1% of alleged drug-rape cases end in a conviction, and only 3% are even prosecuted.

Drink spiking, if proved, can be punished with as much as a 10-year jail sentence. A number of students approached Vision with their personal experiences of spiking in York. Erica*, a second-year Sociology student, said: “I didn’t think York was the kind of place where I was at risk of being spiked.”

Her experience took place on her birthday, and she admits she left her drinks unattended in both Rumours and Salvation on the night. “After only four drinks, I began to feel really unwell. I was swaying and trying to make myself sick. I lost all social awareness, and was eventually sick in the middle of Salvation, in the cab home and outside my house for 20 minutes.”

She commented: “I’ve never lost my memory when drinking before. This time was different, I couldn’t remember anything. I’ve never had this sort of reaction to alcohol.

“I doubted my own thoughts as I was told ‘nobody gets spiked in York’ – everyone thought I was exaggerating and thought I was just drunk. It’s more of a risk than people realise.”

Charlotte was found to have been spiked with ecstasy after an evening also spent in Rumours and Salvation. Charlotte suffers from an auto-immune disease that, combined with the drug, left her bed-ridden for a week. “After that night I only have drinks like bottles in clubs, or drink shots at the bar. I never carry open-topped glasses around now.”

It’s also been evident that spiking is not only affecting women. Roger* and Daniel* both experienced serious consequences from their encounters with drink spiking. Roger woke up in a police cell after being given a drink in Willow by two men claiming to be students at York St John, and was subsequently fined £80 for being drunk and disorderly.

He described the feeling when he woke up as “completely different to being hungover. I was disorientated, and didn’t know where I was or what had happened and I couldn’t stop vomiting.

“After visiting the doctor I was told that a blood test would be pointless as the drugs would have passed through my system within four hours without leaving a trace.”

Daniel’s first memory of Willow during Freshers’ Week was having three shards of a front tooth removed from his lip in hospital. After leaving town alone, he was found on the road near Clifford’s Tower, where he was shaking and was unable to speak properly, according to those that found him.

He told Vision: “When I arrived at the hospital I was shaking so much that it was impossible for them to take a blood test. I’ve now been without a tooth for six weeks and have already had to pay over £200 in dentist fees.”

None of the four students who spoke to Vision reported their incidents to the police, citing reasons including a lack of evidence, and the small chance of conviction.

Alcohol Awareness Week begins next Monday and both YUSU and North Yorkshire Police are preparing a campaign to raise awareness of the issue of drink spiking.

YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes commented: “Although York is largely a safe city, the spiking incidents in York have been worrying and I would urge all students to keep an eye on their drinks and look out for their friends on a night out to ensure that they stay safe.” YUSU also advised any students who believe they may have been spiked to attend hospital immediately.

*Names changed to protect students’ privacy.