21 Jun 2024
A St Albans pub has been exonerated of allegations that two women had their drinks spiked while out on a Friday night early in January.
The victims, who we are not identifying, had been watching a friend’s band in The Horn when they apparently collapsed, and needed to be collected by one of their partners.
The venue told them they were clearly visible on CCTV all evening and nothing suspicious happened during this time.
Now the results of a police investigation have revealed no suspicious substances were identified during tests and the
investigation has now been closed.
A police spokesperson said The Horn fully cooperated while officers carried out medical testing, statements were taken and they reviewed CCTV.
“Drink spiking is an issue that we take very seriously, and we would like to thank the two women involved for reporting their experience to us so that we could investigate and identify any potential offenders.
“We would encourage anyone who suspects they may have been spiked to please do the same.”
At the time of the alleged incident, Sean Hughes from Save St Albans Pubs said: “Spiking is very, very rare in St Albans, but if people suspect they have been spiked they first need to speak to a member of staff who can help them and make sure they are safe, and then get to A&E and get tested within the first 12 hours so we can confirm it’s a spiking incident. Once the police know it’s a confirmed spiking then they can do something about it.”
The incident prompted a wave of comments on social media, with many posts blaming The Horn for not taking more care of its customers, despite the fact that the allegations had not been confirmed.
The Horn said: “We work closely with the police and other industry leading trusts with expert knowledge to ensure all our guests remain safe at all times.
“As a venue we implement stringent security checks, using tamper-proof drink covers, providing ample training for staff to recognise signs of spiking.
“We’re part of quite a collective number of schemes to ensure the safety of our guests; to name some – Ask for Clive, Ask for Angela, St Albans Pubwatch group. Such measures not only protect patrons but also fosters a sense of trust and community, making the live music experience enjoyable and secure.”
A spokesperson for St Albans Pubwatch added: “Thank you to the police for their involvement in resolving their investigation.
“To emphasise the advice they have given to prevent the spikings, and to respectfully suggest that if there is any suspicion of any wrongdoing ever, that the police should be the victim’s first port of call, and not social media.”
The police have issued the following advice to keep safe and what to do if you suspect you’ve been spiked:
- Never leave your drink unattended and do not accept drinks from someone you do not know.
- Keep an eye on your friends.
- Let a member of staff know straightaway if you start feeling unwell.
- If you suspect you may have been spiked, report it to police as soon as possible to allow fast time enquiries to be carried out.
