Police investigate reports of needle spiking in Nottingham clubs
Police confirmed one man had been arrested after a suspected spiking in Nottingham, but was later released on bail
Police in Nottingham are investigating reports of women being injected by needles in nightclubs.
A 20-year-old man was arrested after a suspected spiking at a club in Nottingham city centre on Saturday (October 16), but was later released on bail, police confirmed.
One student, Zara Owen, 19, told the BBC that she believes she was injected with a needle during a night out, which has left her “genuinely really scared”.
She said she blacked out shortly after arriving at Pryzm nightclub in Nottingham on October 10. She woke up in bed with pain in her leg and discovered a pin prick.
Ms Owen, who studies French and Spanish at the University of Nottingham, said: “I’m genuinely really scared. It’s one of those things that you hear about but never think will happen to you.”
The student said she recalled going into the nightclub with friends and ordering a drink, but does not remember the rest of the evening. She was told by a housemate that she was found alone in a takeaway restaurant.
She added: “It makes you question yourself. Why me and how?”
Another 19-year-old student from Derby also believes she was injected with something during a night out in Nottingham.
Ellie Simpson said her sister, who does not want to be named, said she felt a “pinch on the back of her arm” when she left Stealth nightclub on October 12, before blacking out and being taken to hospital.
“I don’t think it’s quite yet sunk in what’s happened to her,” her sister said. “It’s really frightening because I don’t know how you’re meant to prevent it.
“Obviously you can put your hand over your drink but how do you stop somebody stabbing you with a needle?”
Stealth nightclub confirmed to the BBC it had received two reports within the past two weeks from customers who believed they may have been spiked with a needle.
A spokesperson said: “Both were seen by our on-site medic, and we are currently liaising with police to aid in their investigations.”
The nightclub added reports of spiking were taken very seriously and staff would continue to carry out thorough searches and record CCTV footage to assist police investigations.
A spokesperson for Rekom UK, which owns Pryzm, said: “While these incidents are incredibly rare, we take all reports of this nature very seriously and will do all we can to make sure that they don’t happen in our clubs.
“We urge anyone who sees suspicious behaviour, or suspects they have been a victim of spiking, to seek assistance immediately from a member of staff.
“We would also encourage them to contact police, so that any allegation can be properly investigated.”