A mother says she has been left shaken and angry after picking up her son from a Watford nightclub where she believes he was spiked with a needle.
It is one of four alleged spiking incidents that were reported to Police between Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13. Three of the suspected incidents took place at Pryzm nightclub and one at Walkabout bar.
Kerrie Currie, from Bushey, picked up her 19-year-old son from the club in the early hours of Saturday, November 13 and noticed what appeared to be a needle mark on her sons body (pictured). She said: “As soon as I saw his eyes, I knew something wasn’t right.”
It is understood that the 19-year-old had two drinks at the club, where he was on a night out with his girlfriend and a friend. The three had gone to the cinema and then headed to Pryzm which is the last memory the 19-year-old has of the evening.
The male, who does not want to be named, was taken home before passing out and becoming completely unresponsive, at which point he was rushed to Watford A&E in an ambulance.
Explaining the events, Kerrie Currie told MyWatfordNews: “My son went into the toilet in the club and then his friends found him propped up against the DJ booth in a bad state. He had only had two drinks but was falling over and could not communicate properly.”
Kerrie wants to raise awareness about her son’s terrifying ordeal and remind everyone, male and female, to remain vigilant. She said: “I don’t want any other parents to have to go through what I went through.”
The family are currently awaiting results from a toxicology report.
A spokesperson from Hertfordshire Police said: “Detectives from Watford’s Local Crime Unit are investigating four reports from members of the public who believe they may have been spiked with a needle while visiting clubs in the town.
“All the alleged incidents occurred overnight between Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13, and the reporting parties for all four incidents are young adults – three females and one male. All of them got home safely without any becoming victims to any other offences.
“One of the women was in Walkabout, while the other three were in Pryzm, and all evidence is currently being gathered, retained and reviewed.
“CCTV footage has also been reviewed as part of initial enquiries but to date, no one of interest has been identified. All reporting parties have been updated by the investigation team and they will be kept informed of any further developments.”
Watford Chief Inspector Ian Grout said: “It’s important to note that currently, we have no firm evidence that any needle spiking has ever occurred in Watford. However, people are doing the right thing by reporting their concerns to the police.
“We are investigating each report fully and also working with bars and clubs to make sure the town continues to be a safe place for everyone to enjoy a night out.
“By their very nature, these incidents are challenging to investigate and capturing evidential opportunities as soon as possible is absolutely vital so that if any drug has been administered, we have forensic proof of that.
“If you or a friend believe you have been spiked, then please report it to us as soon as possible – preferably in person to a police officer on the same night so we can capture any evidence at the earliest opportunity.”
A spokesperson from PRYZM Watford said: “Everyone should feel safe on a night out, and they should feel safe in our club. We are the most regulated part of the hospitality sector; 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 these incidents are incredibly rare, we take all reports of drink spiking 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, which also includes ID scanners and metal detector arches.
“We have extensive CCTV coverage throughout the venue and our security teams wear bodycams and we will pass on footage to the Police to help with any investigation. Anyone who is suspected of spiking will be detained and handed over to the Police.”
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