The number of people falling victim to needle spiking has exploded, shock figures show.
Police forces around the UK logged at least 2,436 cases between 2017 and 2021—with a staggering 839 coming in the last year alone.
The 2021 total is more than triple the 234 needle spiking reports made the year before.
Worrying stories of people being injected with drugs without their consent or knowledge have cropped up around the country in recent months.
Many reports involve young women who believe they were spiked in public places while out with friends, becoming extremely unwell and eventually losing consciousness.
Alleged victims have described discovering signs of pinpricks or bruising on their bodies the following day.
The new crime figures, obtained by the Liberal Democrats using Freedom of Information rules, show that forces covering areas with busy nightlife are among those which received the most reports of needle spiking.
Of the 29 constabularies which provided data, Greater Manchester Police had the most reports (925) between 2017 and 2021.
The grim tally was followed by Leicester Police’s total (293) and Devon and Cornwall (248).
London’s Metropolitan Police declined to respond to the request because the force doesn’t record needle spiking as a specific offence classification in its crime reporting system.
As alarming as the newly released figures are, the true total is likely to be much higher.
In January, the National Police Chiefs Council’s drug lead, Jason Harwin, told MPs that police forces had received 1,382 reports of drug spiking using needles since September 2020 alone.
But despite the surge, none of the reports had yet resulted in a single prosecution.
Senior Lib Dem John Leech, who led the new investigation, says: “The alarming rise in drug spiking and the violent intent behind it is a devastatingly urgent national issue.
“As we exit lockdown, young people have the right to enjoy themselves and return to the things we have all missed for so long without the fear of being injected by predators.
“There is no question that this crisis requires immediate enforcement and prevention from nightclub owners and at venues.
“They must take a lead to increase security and prevention drastically.”
