Nottingham police has seen rise in spiking by injection in clubs

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Elle Vickers, 18, and Ellen Baldwin, 19, believe they were injected with an unknown drug in the early hours of Saturday morning as they “blacked out” and have no recollation of what happened. Elle’s first memory was when she woke up covered in bruises and scratches with what appeared to be a puncture wound in her thigh.

The university students had visited Fiction, a nightclub in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, but ended up in hospital within hours.

Police are now investigating the “spiking” incidents, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live.

Recalling the ordeal today, Elle said: “Both of us blacked out and have no recollection of the vast majority of the night.

“My friend was taken to Royal Stoke by the police.

“I was alone for the rest of the night with no memory of what could of happened to me within this period of time. I woke up to find myself covered in bruises and scratches down the inside of my thighs and feeling the worst I have ever felt.

“I rang 111 to get advice on what to do. I was informed that 111 would ring me back when someone became available. At the point I made the call I was in a cold sweat, could not hold my own head up, my throat was closed making it hard to breathe and my legs and inside my mouth are covered in cuts an bruises.”

Elle, originally of Cheadle, Staffordshire, returned to A&E with Ellen the next day but were eventually advised to visit a walk-in health clinic.

Elle, who studies at Keele University, added: “Me and Ellen completely understand that the NHS is strained and accept that it can be too late to test for the drug that was injected into us and there is nothing that can be done about that, but given my friend went in 45 minutes after symptoms started and was turned away, we felt it was impossible to get help and we’re just being pushed through the system and to be told ‘are you sure you didn’t just have a couple too many drinks?’.

“There is a police investigation ongoing and clear injection sites on our thighs.

“After being alone all night, waking up with injuries in intimate areas and unable to recall huge amounts of the night, I just want to be checked over and given the all clear.”

Fiction has moved to reassure clubbers that it takes “robust action” to protect its customers with staff “fully trained” on the issue of drink spiking.

Elle continued: “After being in Fiction for about an hour I have no recollection of the entire night until 5am when I was back at my uni accommodation.

“From what I’ve been told I collapsed outside the nightclub. My friend then got the attention of two police officers, she and my other friends shared there concern to the police that I had been spiked.

“They shrugged it off, they did not take any names or details, they just bundled me in the back of there car with my boyfriend and dropped me off at A&E.

“I do not remember leaving Fiction or any of the events that night.

“When we got to A&E I couldn’t even hold myself. They put me in a wheelchair and covered me in a blanket. I wasn’t able to hold my head up and I was barely communicating.

“Within half an hour of being there I was discharged and told to come back sober. I believe they didn’t check me over or my body. It wasn’t until the next afternoon I found the puncture wound from the needle in my upper thigh.

“The next day I had spoken to my friend Elle who had a similar experience. She can’t remember huge chunks of her night and woke up with bruises all over her body with no recollection of what happened to her.”

Ellen wants to warn other young people about the dangers on nights out.

“Please everyone be safe and be aware of your surroundings because it’s not just spiking through drinks anymore,” the student said.

“We are two teenage girls who have been injected by a needle with something we are not aware of and not one person in the NHS has asked to see the wound they have just passed us around.

“All me and Elle want is someone to look us over and check we are okay.”

In a statement, Fiction said: “Everyone should feel safe on a night out, and they should feel safe in our club. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment so that all our guests can enjoy a fun night out and will do everything we can to protect this right.

“While there have been no proven cases of injection spiking in Hanley, as a responsible late night operator, we take all reports of this nature very seriously.

“Our teams are fully trained on the issue and have the support of our onsite medics, we operate our ‘We Care’ policy and support the ‘Ask Angela’ scheme. We are offering anti-spiking devices to all of our guests and operate 100% searches on entry.

“We also have extensive CCTV coverage throughout the venue and security teams wear bodycams and will pass on footage to the Police to help with any investigation.

“We would encourage anyone who sees suspicious behaviour, or suspects they have been a victim, to seek immediate assistance from a member of staff or security, who are trained to help and who also have the support of our onsite first aiders. We would also encourage them to contact police and seek medical advice, so that any allegation can be properly investigated.”

Staffordshire Police are now reviewing CCTV.

A spokesman said: “We were called shortly after 6pm on Saturday following reports of a suspicious incident.

“At around 2am that day, officers working on Operation Safer Nights had assisted a 19-year-old woman to present at hospital after she reported vulnerability, following attending a nightclub in Hanley.

“She is being supported by specially-trained officers at this time while inquiries continue.

“Officers are currently reviewing CCTV footage of the area at the time of the incident and ask anyone with information to get in touch.”

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