Keir Starmer has been slammed over his claims spiking will now be a criminal offence (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer has been slammed over his claims that ministers will finally outlaw spiking.
The Prime Minister was told that “spiking is already against the law” despite his vow that predators “will feel the full force of the law” under his proposed crackdown.
Police forces across the country are deploying plain-clothes police officers to snare those trying to lace someone’s drinks with drugs and bar staff will be trained to spot signs women are being targeted.
But Sir Keir sparked outrage after posting on social media site X: “Spiking will be made a criminal offence.
“My government was elected to take back our streets, central to this mission is making sure women and girls can feel safe at night.”
Keir Starmer met with police chiefs in Downing Street today (Image: Getty)
James Cleverly has slammed Sir Keir’s claims (Image: Getty)
Former Home Secretary said: “Spiking is already against the law.
“As a former DPP you must know that (or you should know that).
“I set out plans last year to clarify and tighten the law, increase awareness and prevention, and improve investigations.”
Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty added: “You’d think as a former Director of Public Prosecutions would know spiking was a criminal offence.”
According to information published by the Metropolitan Police, spiking offences are covered by more than one law, but most come under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
But the Prime Minister wants to make it a specific offence.
Sir Keir told a meeting with police chiefs in Downing Street: “There are a number of measures that we are setting out this morning – we want to talk it through with you.
“The first is to make spiking a specific offence so that it counts, it’s reported.”
He said that such a measure would mean that it “enables everybody to have the confidence to come forward” and “allows perpetrators to know that it’s a specific offence”.
Sir Keir pledged that thousands of workers in the night-time economy will be trained on how to prevent spiking incidents, support victims and help collect evidence.
Detailing the training scheme, he went on: “We’re beginning the piloting of training for staff in venues.”
He said the scheme would be “partly to spot what’s happening, but also to know what to do in the event that there is an incident in a venue”.
“That will start in December with a pilot then it will be rolled out from March of next year,” Sir Keir added.
He also said that the “final” point of discussion for the morning was “police indexing – (the) way that we count it across different police forces”.
Sir Keir added: “At the moment it’s quite hard to get your arms around the pure numbers.”
Assistant chief constable Samantha Millar, the National Police Chiefs’ Council violence against women and girls strategic programme director, said: “Spiking is a complex offence to investigate as drugs can pass through the system quickly and there is often a lack of evidential opportunities, which is why quick reporting and early evidence gathering, including forensic testing, is key.
“Police forces across the country have been working proactively to stop spiking from happening in the night-time economy and improve feelings of safety for women and girls.
“This includes regular, targeted patrols of busy town centres and visiting organisations, such as universities, to raise awareness of the symptoms of spiking.
“Forces also work closely with bars, pubs and clubs to tackle spiking, and during the first national spiking police week of action in March, forces collectively visited over 1900 licensed venues to ensure that staff understood how to support victims.”
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said people should intervene at their Christmas parties if they see someone trying to lace a drink with drugs.
Asked if she would advise people to intervene, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips replied: “Yes, I would, but I would say always do it safely.
“If you see something in the street that’s really worrying you, you should ring 999.
“But what I would say is that you can definitely ask if somebody is all right in the street. There’s no active aggression in that.”