Prime Minister to Meet Police and Hospitality Leaders to Address Spiking Crisis .
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will host a meeting at Downing Street with police chiefs, hospitality leaders, and transport officials to discuss coordinated efforts to combat spiking. The meeting will focus on sharing best practices, with the government promising enhanced training for bar staff to prevent incidents, support victims, and preserve evidence.
The government has reaffirmed its pledge to make administering alcohol or drugs without consent a specific criminal offence, although no timeline for the legislation has been provided. Spiking is already illegal, but defining it as a standalone offence is expected to strengthen deterrence and encourage victims to report incidents.
The Prime Minister has described his goal to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade as a "personal commitment." Monday's meeting is intended to demonstrate the seriousness of this objective.
The session will feature contributions from key figures, including Chief Constable Jason Hogg of Thames Valley Police, who will discuss deploying plainclothes officers around bars and clubs to detect predatory behavior. British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi will highlight the relaunch of 61016, a free text-to-report service for harassment incidents on trains.
UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls and National Police Chiefs' Council lead for violence against women and girls, Chief Constable Maggie Blythe, will also participate. Nicholls welcomed the government's commitment to training up to 10,000 bar staff nationwide, emphasizing its importance in identifying and responding to spiking cases.
Labour had pledged to introduce a specific spiking offence in its general election manifesto, but no detailed timeline was included in the King’s Speech. Despite this, efforts to address the issue are gaining momentum, with hopes that government action will boost victim confidence and improve public safety.
Spiking, often targeting young women and linked to sexual offences, is a serious crime. Sir Keir underscored the need to hold perpetrators accountable, stating, “We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act to justice.”
blogpay
had pledged to introduce a specific spiking offence in its general election manifesto, but no detailed timeline was included in the King’s Speech. Despite this, efforts to address the issue are gaining momentum, with hopes that government action will boost victim confidence and improve public safety. 
Total Comments: 0