North Yorkshire Police are urging residents to be vigilant around the symptoms of drink spiking after a number of recent offences.
North Yorkshire Police are urging residents to be vigilant around the symptoms of drink spiking after a number of recent offences. Officers in York are investigating six reports of drink spiking in the past six weeks, whilst a woman in Harrogate was spiked during the day on a Sunday afternoon. Police are asking people to be vigilant to this offence and to be aware of the signs, so they can seek help and report it sooner. The signs of drink spiking can include: Feeling sleepy Loss of balance Visual Problems Sickness Confusion Unconsciousness Changes to mood or behaviour Lowered inhibitions [caption id="attachment_19584" align="aligncenter" width="1054"] A woman from Harrogate spent hours in A&E after being spiked on a Sunday afternoon.[/caption] Speaking about recent reports, Detective Inspector Paul Groves from York Criminal Investigation Department said:
"We want to ensure people are aware of the steps they can take to protect themselves from spiking and importantly, how to recognise the symptoms. The quicker you can determine that someone has been spiked, the sooner you can get help and also report it to police. "Always keep an eye on your drink, whether alcoholic or not, and never leave it unattended. It’s advisable to not accept a drink from a stranger and stick together with your friends, so you can keep an eye out for each other. "If you think someone has been spiked, get help as soon as you can from bar or security staff. If their condition deteriorates, call an ambulance and keep an eye on them until help arrives. It’s also important to report it to police as soon as possible. "Substances that are used to spike drinks are sometimes very quick to exit a person’s system, so the sooner it’s reported to us, the sooner we can capture evidence and determine exactly what’s happened."Detective Inspector Groves blasted those who take advantage of others in this way and branded drink spiking as "sickening." He said:
"I’d like to send a clear message to anyone who thinks spiking is a laugh and that it’s not a crime - it absolutely is, and North Yorkshire Police take it incredibly seriously. "We will do everything we can to identify offenders and we will look to pursue a criminal prosecution, which could result in a prison sentence."Drink spiking is a serious crime and carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence in the UK. For more information about drink spiking and how to protect yourself from it visit www.drinkaware.co.uk Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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