Needle spiking explosion crisis
THE number of people falling victim to needle spiking has exploded, shock figures show.
At least 2,436 cases of people being injected with drugs without their consent or knowledge were reported to the police between 2017 and 2021.
And there were 839 in 2021 alone – up from 234 the year before.
Women who say they were spiked on nights out have described their ordeals. Many lost consciousness and later found pinpricks or bruising on their bodies.
The new figures were obtained by the Liberal Democrats from 29 forces. Greater Manchester Police had received the most reports, 925 since 2017. It was followed by Leicester, with 293, and Devon and Cornwall, with 248.
But no report has resulted in a prosecution. Lib Dem ex-MP John Leech said the needle spiking rise is a “crisis”. He added: “Young people have the right to enjoy themselves...without fear of being injected.”