Skip to content

Urine tests offered amid Nottingham spiking reports rise

BBC Nottingham police officersBBC
Extra officers have been on patrol at weekends to reassure residents and visitors

Police officers will be able to offer "on the spot" urine tests to anyone who believes they have been spiked in Nottingham.

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Caroline Henry has bought 1,000 tests after a rise in reports of drink and needle spiking in the city.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the kits inform police if someone has a "spiking substance" in them.

It also saves the time it takes to conduct a toxicology report.

However, a report may still be required afterwards, a Nottinghamshire police and crime panel at County Hall heard on Monday.

Mrs Henry said her office had also invested in a number of metal detecting wands, to be handed out to venues in a bid to stop needles being brought into nightclubs.

Getty Images ClubbingGetty Images
Two men were held on suspicion of conspiracy to administer poison with intent to injure, annoy or aggrieve

It comes after Nottinghamshire Police confirmed officers had received 32 reports of spikings, and 15 others where the victims believe they were injected with a needle.

Two men, 18 and 19, were arrested as part of an ongoing inquiry and released under investigation last month.

Mrs Henry said she had spoken to the commissioner in Devon and Cornwall, who had used the kits to tackle the problem.

"It makes it easier to determine if someone has been spiked rather than wait for toxicology reports," she said.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].