A woman on a night out in Liverpool says she was injected with muscle relaxant by a stranger while on a night out in Liverpool.
Rebecca Derbyshire, 26, told the Mirror how her friends saved her from a possible attack.
Rebecca, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, said: “I felt something sharp go into my shoulder. It was a really unusual sensation.
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“I turned around to my friend and said, ‘I think I’ve just been injected ’.
Rebecca saidL: "She looked at my arm and said there was a needle mark and we looked around trying to see who might have done it.
“It doesn’t bear thinking about w hat could have happened if my friend hadn’t been there
Rebecca and her friend, who were drinking in the Rubber Soul bar in the city centre on September 25, went straight back to their hotel as she began to feel sick and drowsy.
She said: “I was mainly a bit fuzzy, confused and quite shook up, feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy.”
She later had a medical check-up, including HIV and hepatitis tests. She said doctors told her that whoever injected her did not know what they were doing because they missed her blood stream.
She said: “The doctors think it was probably muscle relaxants which could have temporarily paralysed me, but we will never really know until we find out who did it.”
It was only this week, after seeing other alleged victims of needle spiking come forward, that Rebecca said she reported the incident to police.
Nationwide, police have reported 24 needle spiking attacks in the past two months and 140 cases of drink spiking.
It coincides with an overall rise in reports of spiking using both needles and drinks this month.
Rebecca said: “Afterwards I thought I was being paranoid and going mad, and I tried to put it to the back of my mind.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has ordered police to urgently investigate the rise of spiking.
More than 160,000 people have signed a petition to make it a legal requirement for nightclubs to thoroughly search guests on entry.
The Rubber Soul bar declined to comment when approached by The Mirror. Merseyside police confirmed to the Echo that they had received a report about the incident.
Liverpool local policing Superintendent Diane Pownall said: “We are aware that there has been a number of reports nationally about people having their drinks spiked or people reporting being injected.
“While we understand that people may be alarmed by these reports I want to reassure people that we have not received a huge number of reports in relation to incidents of this nature on Merseyside.
“We have reviewed reports recorded between 1 st September and 22nd October this year. During that period we received 17 reports of people who believed they had had their drinks spiked.
“It is important that people are reassured that these reports have been extensively investigated with officers examining CCTV, speaking to victims and potential witnesses and looking into medical evidence. Following those enquiries two remain under investigation.
“During the same period we received five reports that people believed they had been injected. Extensive witness, CCTV and medical enquiries have been carried out and three currently remain under investigation.
“This matter remains under constant review and is also monitored through weekly licensing meetings. We are also liaising with the Student Safety Group, licensed premises and other partners.
“Liverpool is awarded Purple Flag status every year and is one of the safest cities in the UK. We know that people travel far from far and wide to enjoy what is on offer here and we want that to continue.
“In April we launched our proactive policing response, Operation Empower, where dedicated officers are tasked with identifying potential perpetrators who are displaying signs of predatory behaviour and to disrupt those who present a potential risk. Officers are also asked to be aware of anyone who may be vulnerable to ensure any immediate safeguarding concerns are met.
“Every week we also have an additional number of uniformed officers on the streets of the city and I would encourage anyone with any concerns to approach our patrols and speak to them."
For more information about drink spiking and date rape drugs visit this link.
