Needle spiking: University of Birmingham student to 'avoid clubbing'

A student says she will "avoid clubbing for a while" after reporting being spiked by a needle at a university event.

University of Birmingham student Amy Taylor, 21, said she was targeted at an onsite Halloween party - also the focus of a second spiking report.

Event organiser, Guild of Students, said security measures were being increased.

West Midlands Police said it was investigating a "very scary incident".

The force added it was working with the university to prevent spiking.

Last month, Home Secretary Priti Patel asked police forces for information following a number of national reports of women being spiked by needle in clubs.

Miss Taylor, a third-year human biology student, attended the Guild event on Saturday.

She said: "I already had quite a lot to drink and then I started feeling my arm throbbing a little bit but I just tried to ignore it, thinking someone had bumped into me.

"I then started chatting to my friends about how I was feeling a bit funny, my teeth started chattering, my legs started feeling really fuzzy, so we sat down for a little bit and that's when it really kicked in.

"I sort of knew I'd been spiked straight away because that's not usually what I feel like when I'm drunk."

Miss Taylor said she went to hospital by taxi and collapsed in an A&E waiting room.

Medical staff took blood and urine samples, carried out toxicology tests and administered a Hepatitis B jab, Miss Taylor explained. The results of the tests are expected in a few weeks.

She has since returned home to recover in Surrey and says she is "doing well".

The Guild of Students has said it is putting in further measures "to do more to protect students from spiking".

These include increased bag and personal searches, use of a metal detector wand and a trial of passive drug-detection dogs.

West Midlands Police said: "We're investigating what must have been a very scary incident.

"We're working closely with the university and guild of students to prevent spiking and keep people safe."

Miss Taylor said: "It's been a bit of a scary experience to come to terms with but I've been really lucky I've got all my uni friends to support me and my family to support me.

"I'm definitely going to avoid going out clubbing for a while just to recover from it all."

She said she had always "felt very safe on nights out" and added: "The reports of spiking by injection were scary but I went out anyway and obviously the fact it actually happened to me is a bit shocking.

"I will go out again eventually but I think especially for the first few times I'm not going to drink at all so I'm really aware of what's going on around me and I think slowly I'll get back into it, but it might take a bit of time."

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