Latest news with #drinkspiking
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Women ill after suspected drink spike at Pub in the Park festival
A man has described his wife's "horrendous experience" of suffering convulsions and falling unconscious after a suspected drink spiking at a Hazlem, 45, is one of three people – including a schoolgirl – believed to have been drugged on Friday while at Pub in the Park festival in Marlow, Buckinghamshire."It's no fault of anybody at Pub in the Park: you can't police against people who have these awful intentions," said Lucy's husband Rob in the Park said it took the matter "very seriously" and was working with authorities and its own security teams to "try and identify any perpetrators". Thames Valley Police confirmed it was investigating two incidents. It said there were officers at the festival and asked people "to report any instance of drink spiking or suspicious activity". 'Sharing a carafe' Mr Hazlem, 52, said his wife was sharing a carafe of wine with friends "over a period of hours" at the music and food festival on Friday evening."She left feeling absolutely fine. She was walking back to her friend's house when she started to feel a lot more drunk that she was."She went to the bathroom, then staggered into a unit and went down within seconds."Lucy's friends called him after she was "violently sick" many times."When I arrived she had fallen unconscious, so we put her in a bed. You think 'it must be alcohol', but I thought, 'this is not her – something has happened'." Mr Hazlem said Lucy "took a turn for the worse" and suffered "convulsions". An ambulance crew suggested she might be having a stroke and took her to hospital."She was unresponsive for several hours, then about 05:30 BST the doctor said her stats were fine.""It was absolutely horrible to see my wife in that state". The BBC has seen two further reports of a woman and girl suffering similar effects after attending the festival.A woman, who did not want to be named, posted on social media to say her adult daughter "was spiked" and taken to hospital where she was "unconscious" for five hours."She's careful with her drinks, so must be a skilled person," the woman wrote.A WhatsApp message shared in a group for parents at a school said a Year 11 student had been given a "spiked drink" by an older man, leaving her "severely drugged and tranquilised".Thames Valley Police said: "At the festival man offered a teenage girl a drink which she accepted and then walked away. "A short while later she became unwell and walked to the medical tent. The incident was reported and an investigation is ongoing."It said it was also investigating Lucy's case but had not received any further reports around spiking. A spokesperson for Pub in the Park said: "We are aware of these incidents that occurred on Friday night."We have been working with the police, local authorities and our own security and health and safety teams to try and identify any perpetrators."Mr Hazlem wanted to urge people to be extra vigilant about the risks of spiking."Lucy was fortunate to have friends able to take care of her before I could get there. There was no way my wife could have done anything for herself," he said."Pub in the Park has been a fantastic family fun day and evening out. You don't expect that type of thing to happen at a small town event," he added. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- News.com.au
‘Get help': Star's chilling warning amid drug spike
A popular Aussie radio star has revealed how she's been a victim of drink spiking three times — as police issue a warning about increased use of a drug used to facilitate the horror act. Former Bachelor contestant Brittany Hockley revealed on her KIIS radio show The Pick Up that she has been drugged against her will on three separate occasions. 'It is not just some stranger in the bar when you're out that you have to be aware of. It's not just making sure your hand is over your drink,' she said. 'It's being hyper aware of the increase that this is happening and also what to look out for.' Radio co-host Laura Byrne then revealed of the four women who work in the team, three of them have also been a victim of this crime. 'Three of us have experienced an incident where someone has used or tried to use one of these date rape drugs against us,' the mum-of-two said. Hockley then went on to explain what it feels like and 'what to watch out for', saying that in her experience, she felt 'drunk very quickly' but 'it's not a normal drunk'. 'For me, the first sign was when I would move my head to the side — just to look — everything was taking too long to catch up, and it started to get blurry,' she said. The 37-year-old said at this point there isn't a lot of time to realise other signs and symptoms as it happens so quickly. 'You just start to feel really, really unwell and really intoxicated. It happens so quickly, it is scary,' she said. 'It goes from zero to 100 in sometimes potentially minutes. You need to tell someone immediately what is happening to you or what you think is happening to you, and get help.' Many praised Hockley for being so candid about what had happened to her. 'Thank you so much for sharing this girls. It makes us feel less alone,' one said. Another added: 'I'm glad you are telling others what it feels like because many may think it's just drunk feeling, but it's way worse and it's hard to speak or stand etc.' Another advised: 'Please make a point of taking your friend straight to a hospital or call an ambulance. Don't assume they have used a date rate drug, fentanyl is coming into the country too. You also don't know how people will react to a drug. Hospital every time.' Someone else weighed in with their own terrifying experience, posting: 'Also – I lost the ability to form sentences after 20(ish) minutes. So YES to the advice of telling someone what you think is happening ASAP! Can't stress enough. 'I told a man at central station (Sydney) that I had fled my work party as I suspected a colleague had spiked me & this man took me all the way home (Cronulla) and got me to the safety my housemates. I wish I could thank him today.' Hockley's message to fans comes just days after the Australian Federal Police issued a warning about a spike in 'fantasy' or 'bute' hitting our shores, which is typically found in industrial strength cleaning products. However, its secondary use has caused concerns for police as, when ingested, it converts to Gamma-hydroxybutyrate — also known as GHB. The drug can create feelings of drowsiness, confusion, blackouts and memory loss, seizures, unconsciousness or even death. It's often used to facilitate sexual assault and rape. More than 3.8 tonnes of 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) has been seized in 2025 alone, and in the 12 months prior to March 1, 2025, it was confiscated more than any other drug. The majority of it was seized in New South Wales. Paula Hudson, the AFP's Acting Assistant Commissioner, said the impact of the drug was catastrophic. 'Although 1,4-Butanediol has a legitimate industrial use, factors such as the significant volumes and concealment methods used in its illegal importation suggest it is targeted for a more nefarious use,' she said. '1,4-BD is dangerous on many levels. Unlike other illicit drugs, it can be used as an instrument of crime, rather than being generally taken only for personal use. 'The significant amount of 1,4-BD being illegally imported into Australia has prompted the AFP and Australian Border Force (ABF) to reinforce a zero-tolerance rule towards criminal networks attempting to import this illicit substance into the country. 'It's a fight on multiple fronts for police, emergency and health services, all working together to combat the importation, distribution and consumption of this harmful illicit substance.' She stressed there was no safe use of the drug.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Brittany Hockley's chilling warning to women as she shares horror personal experience
Brittany Hockley has issued a chilling warning to Australian women about the prevalence of drink spiking. The former Bachelor star and radio host, 37, spoke about the terrifying experience of having her drinks spiked three times. Brittany said on KIIS FM's The Pickup show on Monday the use of date-rape drugs is 'much more prevalent' than people realise. She discussed the topic with her co-host Laura Byrne after the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force sounded the alarm over a 'tidal wave of illegal 'fantasy' importation' last week. In a joint statement, the AFP and ABP reported more than 3.8 tonnes of the chemical solvent 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) have already been seized in 2025. 'The AFP have just come out and issued a warning about an increase in drugs hitting our shores in Australia,' Brittany said. 'They are colloquially known as "fantasy" but otherwise known as a date rape drug,' Brittany said. 'The reason I wanted to talk about this is because it personally has happened to me three times. 'It is not just a stranger in the bar that you have to be aware of when you're out.' 'It is not just making sure that your hand is over your drink. It is being hyper-aware of the increase that this is happening and also what to look out for.' Between March 2024 and March 2025, the AFP seized more 'fantasy' than any other drug, with more than 90 per cent of that found in NSW. Laura said of the four women who work on The Pick Up, three have experienced an incident of drink spiking, 'where someone has used, or tried to use, one of these date rape drugs against us.' The use of 'fantasy' depresses the central nervous system, slowing down messages between the brain and body, per the AFP. 'Due to its effects, the drug is commonly used in Australia as a "party drug" or to facilitate offences including theft, sexual assault and rape,' the AFP statement continued. 'Those who ingest it can experience drowsiness, confusion, blackouts and memory loss, seizures, unconsciousness or even death.' Brittany said she'd had her drink spiked three times, once by a barman serving the drink, and stressed that sometimes there is no way to prevent it from happening Brittany claimed she'd had her drink spiked three times, once by a barman serving the drink and stressed that sometimes there is no way to prevent it from happening. 'But I want to take it further and tell you what it feels like and what signs to look out for, so you know if it's happening to you, and I want to tell you what to do,' the radio host said. 'You feel very, very drunk very quickly. But it's not a normal drunk. 'When I was turning my head to look [in another direction] everything [in my vision] was taking too long to catch up and it started to get blurry.' 'You don't have a lot of time to think of other signs and symptoms because it just starts to happen,' Brittany said as she recounted the horrifying experience. 'You start to feel really unwell and really, really intoxicated. It is really scary. It goes from zero to 100 in, sometimes potentially minutes.' 'You need to tell someone immediately what is happening to you, or what you think is happening to you, and get help,' Brittany stressed. 'So if you are out at a bar, the second you don't feel right, you go to someone behind the bar or to a trusted friend and just tell them.' Brittany said she suspects many cases of spiking are not reported to police because victims can't remember the details of what happened to them. 'One of mine was on a date [and] one of mine was a barman, so that made me very worried because you can be as careful as you want covering your drinks and walking around a bar, but if it's come from behind the bar when you ordered it, it's out of your control,' she revealed on The Pick Up in 2023. 'I think a lot people don't know how prevalent it is because it's not widely reported,' she said. Date rape drugs will only show up on a blood or urine test if the victim sees the police, emergency services, or their GP within the first 24 hours after the incident. Laura added that she hopes everyone is 'really conscious' of the fact people aren't just spiked by strangers in nightclubs. 'It doesn't just happen when you're at a nightclub or your out with strangers,' she said. 'Like, my experience was with someone who I thought was a friend.' If you or someone you know feels unwell or have been sexually assaulted, call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Independent Singapore
10-05-2025
- Independent Singapore
My wife's office manager keeps spiking her drink, yet the company still keeps the manager around
SINGAPORE: A concerned husband took to an online forum to express his outrage over a shocking workplace incident involving his wife's female manager, who had allegedly spiked her drink on multiple occasions. Posting on the r/askSingapore forum on Thursday (May 8), he stated that the manager had spiked his wife's drink in the office pantry while she was away. 'My wife took a sip and noticed an unusual flavour and poured the drink away unsuspectively because there is CCTV around. When my wife felt nauseous and wanted to vomit, the manager sent a message, claiming that it was a 'collagen supplement,' and she put a pill into her drink to help with the energy boost,' he explained. 'She said she spiked the drink 'out of care because (my) wife looks tired.' My wife reported to the company and the Singapore police, who took a statement from this manager confessing to the act. The manager also confessed to the company that [she] did it three times (two times before were 'vitamins'),' he continued. Despite the seriousness of the act, the husband was shocked to learn that the company only issued the manager a one-week suspension and a 'salary cut/downgrade.' 'Is this punishment justifiable?' he asked his fellow locals. 'What can a person do to protect him/herself from a manager who in the past spiked your drink? Can a company keep a manager who spiked a staff member's drink?' 'Don't stay with a company that'll keep such people around.' In the comments section, many people were shocked and angry about how the company handled the situation. One individual called the manager's actions 'weird and dangerous,' adding that the HR team had failed to protect the company by allowing someone like that to remain in a position of authority. 'I can understand the anger. I suggest seeking some peace instead of a fight. She was lucky she found out. It could be something else more sinister, and everyone needs to protect their food and drink,' they added. 'She should tell everyone, including the CEO, to protect their food and drink. What if the CEO made an unpopular but necessary decision? The manager could switch the vitamin to a laxative.' Another criticised the company's response, saying, 'In my opinion, the first offence should straight up be termination already; a one-week suspension with payout is such a light slap. Don't stay with a company that'll keep such people around; who knows if that nutjob will retaliate by spiking it with something else.' Others urged the husband to help his wife leave the company as soon as possible. One individual said, 'If someone did this even to my current partner, I'll be taking the day off and getting them out ASAP. Whatever the notice period, just pay it off, or if you don't want to, fight them in court.' Another commented, 'Run. Run fast to another company. Your well-being and safety are more important than the job.' Is it against the law to spike someone's drink? In Singapore, spiking someone's drink is treated as a serious offence. Intentionally administering a harmful substance to another person can lead to prosecution under Section 328 of the Penal Code, which covers causing harm by means of poison. If found guilty, the offender may face up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine, or caning. Read related: SG crypto firm partner fired after woman said he spiked her drink during meeting Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
