Drink Spiking 'Appears To Be Low' In City Pubs

Most tests come back as negative

- William Telford

Plymouth pubs are still being supplied with drink-spiking test kits, but more work needs to be done to find out the extent of the problem in the city.

About 25 venues have the pioneering kits at present, and they have been used more frequently than was expected - but it appears that very few positive tests have been recorded and the newly published report from Plymouth's Violence Against Women and Girls Commission said that it did not need to give a recommendation on the menace of drink-spiking.

However, its Male Violence Against Women and Girls report did say: "The level of drink spiking in Plymouth still needs to be better understood."

The hard-hitting report revealed 89% of respondents to a survey agreed that violence against women and girls is a problem in Plymouth and 61% of respondents had experienced "inappropriate staring or leering that made them feel intimidated" when they were out. But the level of drink spiking, and how much of a problem it is to women, remains unclear.