How to Report Spiking: What Happens When You Go to the Police

Many people who think they have been spiked never tell the police. Some are unsure whether anything really happened. Some worry they will not be believed, or that they will get into trouble for drinking or taking drugs. Others simply do not know what reporting involves. This guide explains, step by step, how to report spiking in the UK and what happens after you do, using official guidance from the police and government.

Key takeaways

• You can report spiking online, by calling 101, or by calling 999 in an emergency.
• There is no time limit on reporting, but reporting quickly gives the best chance of collecting evidence.
• Police forensic testing is optional, and you can report without it.
• You will not be judged or get into trouble for alcohol or drugs you took voluntarily, unless you were driving.
• You can report anonymously, or on behalf of someone else.

First things first: get safe and get help

If you or someone else is injured, in immediate danger or needs support right away, call 999. If you need urgent medical advice and it is not an emergency, call NHS 111. Tell a friend you trust and, if you are still at a venue, let staff or security know.

The GOV.UK spiking advice lists signs that may suggest spiking, including confusion, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, poor co-ordination, problems with vision, difficulty communicating, and memory loss or blackouts.

How to report spiking

According to Police.uk, you can report spiking in several ways:

• 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger or needs help right away.
• Online, through the police's spiking reporting service. Police say online reports are treated with the same urgency as a call.
• 101, the non-emergency number, or in person at a police station, as Victim Support explains.
• Anonymously, through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or its website.

The online service covers drink spiking, needle spiking, food spiking, vape or e-cigarette spiking and attempted spiking. If something else happened as well, such as a sexual assault or theft, you can report everything at once rather than making separate reports.

There is no time limit

Police.uk is clear that there is no time limit on reporting spiking, whether it happened tonight or a long time ago. Even if evidence can no longer be collected, police say that your report helps them build a better picture of where spiking is happening and spot patterns.

What happens after you report

Police.uk sets out what happens first after you report spiking. If you feel comfortable, officers will ask you about four main things:

1. What happened?
2. Where did it happen?
3. When did it happen?
4. Do you know who might have done it?

You may be asked some of these questions more than once. Police say this is a normal part of the process and does not mean they did not believe you the first time. It is also fine if you cannot remember everything. Gaps in memory are common after spiking.

Forensic testing

Police may ask for a urine or blood sample for forensic testing. Police.uk describes its test as the most effective way to find out whether someone has spiked you, saying it can detect over a hundred different types of drugs. Only the police can carry out this forensic test, except at a sexual assault referral centre (SARC), which can also take samples if you have been sexually assaulted.

Timing matters. Some drugs leave the body within 12 hours or sooner, while others stay longer, so police may be able to test you up to four days after the incident. If you report within that window, an officer will come to you wherever you are with a sterile container, and may bring a doctor to take a blood sample.

The police's guidance on how evidence is collected in spiking cases adds some practical points:

• If you can wait, avoid going to the toilet until a sample can be taken. The first urine after the incident is the best sample.
• If you really cannot wait, collect a sample in a clean container with a lid and keep it in the fridge.
• Hospital or GP tests help doctors treat you, but they are not police forensic tests. You will still need a police test if you want evidence that could support a charge.

Testing is your choice. Police say that if you do not want to give a sample, that is fine, and you can still tell them what happened.

Other evidence

If you are still at the venue, police may ask you to keep hold of anything that could be evidence, such as a glass or a needle, if it is safe to do so. You may not be in a state to think about this, so ask a friend or a member of staff to help. If you have already left, officers may visit the location and check for CCTV and other evidence.

During the investigation

According to Police.uk's guidance on what happens during a spiking investigation, you will be asked for a detailed formal statement and an officer will be assigned to your case. As a rule, they will update you at least every 28 days, though only if you have given your contact details.

Investigations normally take weeks rather than days, and forensic results can take several weeks to come back. If a suspect is identified, they may be arrested. Police then either refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service, which decides whether to charge, or close the investigation if there is not enough evidence.

If a case is closed, Police.uk says this does not mean you were not believed. If you disagree with a decision not to charge, you may be able to ask for a review under the Victims' Right to Review Scheme. You can also pause or withdraw from an investigation at any time and ask for it to be reopened later.

Common worries about reporting

"I had been drinking or took drugs"

The police's spiking myths page says they will not judge you or search you, and that it is not illegal to have drugs in your bloodstream unless you have been driving. They may ask what you took voluntarily, because this helps them identify which substance may have been used to spike you. The victim is never to blame.

"It might just have been alcohol"

Spiking can include giving someone alcohol without their knowledge, or more alcohol than they expected, such as double shots instead of singles. Police say there are other ways to investigate alcohol spiking.

"It happened to my friend, not me"

You can report spiking on behalf of someone else. Police will record it and contact the person once they are well enough to give a statement. You can also report as a witness if you see someone spiking others.

Why your report matters

The Home Office has highlighted under-reporting as a key challenge in understanding the true scale of spiking. Every report helps police target their work, take action with venues and, where evidence allows, bring offenders to justice.

Support is available

You do not have to go through this alone. Victim Support offers free, confidential help whether or not you report to the police. If you have been sexually assaulted, the NHS explains how sexual assault referral centres can help.

Prevention and peace of mind

SpikeStixx are discreet, pocket-sized drink spike tests made in the UK. Dab a clean finger in your drink, dab it onto the yellow tip of the stick and wait 5 seconds. If the yellow turns dark orange, your drink may have been spiked: do not drink it, and get help. A self-test is a quick check, not evidence for a case, so if you think you have been spiked, always report it to the police and ask about a forensic test.