Experts have urged caution over claims that dozens of women have been injected with date-rape drugs, saying drink-spiking is the most probable cause of their blackouts.
In recent days terrifying reports have emerged of an ‘epidemic’ of young women being stabbed with syringes in bars and nightclubs.
Several of the accounts include stories of blacking out, being unable to speak and waking up to find a puncture wound on an arm, leg or lower back. Images released by the women show pinprick-like marks.
Thousands of women plan to boycott night-time venues in response and more than 160,000 people have signed a petition calling for more thorough searches upon entry.
Sarah Buckle claimed she was injected with a date rape drug while clubbing
But leading drug experts and toxicologists have said it is ‘highly improbable’ for someone to be able to drug someone using a syringe because of the technical knowledge required. They said it was far more likely the women have had their drinks spiked and then injured themselves while under this influence.
Professor Atholl Johnston, President of the Clinical Contract Research Association and pharmacologist and toxicologist at St George’s University London, said: ‘I know of no drug that could be randomly injected into a person that would work instantly.’
John Slaughter, senior forensic toxicologist at ASI Bioanalytics, said it was unlikely that a needle would be in the skin for ‘long enough to have such a pharmacological effect’.
Women have given horrifying accounts of being drugged with needles across the country, reporting incidents in cities including Nottingham, Exeter, Durham and Leeds. The timing coincides with students’ return to university.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council said forces in England and Wales had received 24 reports of needle spiking in September and October. But in the same period, there have been 198 reports of drinks being spiked.
In Nottingham alone there have been 15 reports of needle spikings this month and police said they have arrested three men as part of a ‘wider investigation’ into drink spiking. The force said it had identified only one case where a victim’s injury ‘could be consistent with a needle’.
A petition launched last week to make it a legal requirement for nightclubs to thoroughly search guests on entry has already gained more than 160,000 signatures
Nottingham, University student
