Drink spiking: Police in York investigate six reports in six weeks

North Yorkshire Police said spiking was taken "incredibly seriously"

Several reports of drink spiking over the past six weeks in York are being investigated by police.

Officers are working with licensed premises but are urging people to be vigilant in the city's bars and clubs.

Det Insp Paul Groves said the force was investigating six reports of drink spiking and warned those responsible could face 10 years in prison.

Recently, there has been a rise in spiking cases across the UK, including victims being injected with a needle.

Det Insp Groves said the term spiking did not just apply to adding illegal drugs to a drink, but also included adding an extra shot of alcohol to make a person more vulnerable.

He said: "Substances that are used to spike drinks are sometimes very quick to exit a person's system, so the sooner it's reported to us, the sooner we can capture evidence and determine exactly what's happened."

How to help a friend who you think has been spiked

• Stay with them and keep talking to them

• Call an ambulance if their condition deteriorates

• Don't let them go home on their own

• Don't let them leave the venue with someone you don't know or trust

• If possible, try to prevent them drinking more alcohol as this could lead to more serious problems

• Urine and blood tests carried out in the first 24 to 72 hours are most likely to detect drug traces

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