A Scots spiking victim is still waiting for the results of her drug test months after reporting the crime to police. Jess Insall, 19, was spiked on a night out in Glasgow in March but her sample is currently still in a lab untested.
The accountant, from Stirling, previously hit out after a series of delays following the incident led to her waiting 34-hours for a drug test. Jess says the communication she has received from Police Scotland is "patronising and dismissive" and she has lost all faith in justice.
She has now slammed the Justice Secretary after MSP Russell Findlay highlighted the shocking delay in parliament on Wednesday. She said Keith Brown's response made it clear "that this attitude goes all the way to the top".
Findlay raised the delay in Jess' test results and said he had been contacted by other victims, asking "what meaningful action will be taken to protect them and to bring predators to justice?"
The Justice Secretary responded: "If the member has information about cases of spiking, he should pass those on to the police, who are the proper authority to consider such cases and take action. That would be the sensible and responsible thing to do."
Jess is calling for an apology regarding the comments which she believes suggest that issues around spiking are not being taken seriously and that victims who have not reported the crime to the police are to blame. Brown has denied his comments suggesting blame or judgement on victims who may choose not to report a crime.
Jess said: “It’s frustrating to see the Justice Secretary show such an unwillingness to listen to victims. I did report my case to the police, and six months later my samples are still sitting in a lab untested.
"The little communication I have received from the police has been patronising and dismissive and it’s clear from Keith Brown’s response that this attitude goes all the way to the top.
“I hope that he apologises and takes time to reflect on actions the government can take to protect spiking victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
Jess was on a night out at The Golf Lounge in Glasgow on Friday March 25 when she suddenly fell ill and was found slumped over a toilet by friends.
They managed to get Jess to her parents’ home in Strathblane and the next morning officers told the family that Jess should have gone to hospital the previous night and advised her to call NHS 24, who informed her to attend the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where drug testing could be done.
But A&E staff at the QEUH said it was the police’s responsibility to carry out testing. Officers had turned up at the family home while she was in hospital and then returned at 8am on the Sunday to take a drug sample.
Monica Lennon MSP, who has previously written to the Scottish Government calling for a zero-tolerance approach towards drink spiking, said people should be able to report spiking through an elected representative or go to the police if that is their choice.
She told the Record: "I was disappointed by the response from the Justice Secretary. I know from my work with Spike Aware UK and from people who have been victims of spiking that there is a lot of stigma and people struggle to be believed.
"We know there are issues in raising awareness and training within Police Scotland, health boards and key partners. We need to support victims of spiking and do more to enable people who have been spiked to come forward to police and report the crime.
"I fully support Jess and she does not deserve to have her experience dismissed or belittled in any way."
Scottish Conservative shadow community safety minister Russell Findlay added: “Keith Brown should say sorry to Jess and to all other spiking victims who are rightly upset by his comments.
“Having raised shocking delays in Jess’s case, his strange response to my question was dismissive and evasive."
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “I have every sympathy for Jess’s case and my comments most certainly did not suggest blame or judgment on victims who may choose not to report a crime.
“While the investigation of crime is a matter for Police Scotland, I have asked my officials to bring these concerns to their attention.
“As I explicitly stated yesterday in Parliament, the act of spiking is utterly abhorrent and we remain absolutely committed to working with partners to tackle all forms of violence against women, and to reassure victims that they can report crimes with the confidence that they will be investigated.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers are continuing to carry out enquiries into the report of drink spiking at a premises on West George Street, Glasgow, on Friday, 25 March, 2022.
“The welfare of the victims is always of paramount importance. Police Scotland has clear protocols in place to ensure full and thorough investigations are carried out in all reported incidents."
Police Scotland said they had "nothing further to add" when questioned on Jess' drug test result delay.
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