Spiking will become a criminal offence with a possible 10-year prison sentence under a new law, the government has announced.
It said in a statement the new offence is part of the Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced in parliament next week.
The government also announced a nationwide training programme to help workers spot and prevent attacks.
Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: “Every time I speak to survivors of spiking, I hear how these cruel attacks have shattered their confidence and stolen their sense of safety.
“Within days of launching our training programme, hundreds of venues are already equipping their staff with the skills to spot and stop these attacks.
“Backed by clear new legislation in the Crime and Policing Bill, our message to perpetrators is clear – we will catch you and you will face justice.”
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Spiking is when someone gives someone drugs or alcohol without them knowing or consenting, either by putting something in their drink or using a needle.
Police in England and Wales received 6,732 reports of spiking in the year up to April 2023 – with 957 of those relating to needle spiking.
London’s Metropolitan Police added that reports of spiking had increased by 13% in 2023, with 1,383 allegations.
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As part of the nationwide training programme, a £250,000 government-funded scheme was started last week to teach staff how to spot warning signs of spiking crimes, prevent incidents and gather evidence.
It aims to train 10,000 staff at pubs, clubs and bars for free by April this year.
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Alex Davies-Jones, minister for victims and violence against women and girls, added that “no one should feel afraid to go out at night” or “have to take extreme precautions to keep themselves safe when they do”.
“To perpetrators, my message is clear: spiking is vile and illegal and we will stop you,” he said. “To victims or those at risk, we want you to know: the law is on your side. Come forward and help us catch these criminals.”
Colin Mackie, founder of Spike Aware UK, also said the charity is “delighted with the steps being taken by the government to combat spiking”.
He added: “Spiking can happen anywhere, but these new initiatives are the first steps to making it socially unacceptable and we urge anyone that suspects or sees it happening, not to remain silent.”
