'We want spiking to be treated as seriously as knife crime'
The parents of a tragic teenager are calling on the government to close a loophole so prank spiking becomes a criminal offence.
Mandy and Colin Mackie, both 63, lost their son Greg in a suspected drink spiking and want to ensure all cases are prosecuted.
The Crime and Policing Bill, which has had its second reading in the House of Commons, will make spiking a standalone crime with a maximum prison term of 10 years.
But prosecution will require proof of specific intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy. And the law will not cover prank spiking – which is viewed as acting recklessly or being negligent, but not with intent.
Greg was 18 when he collapsed in his halls of residence on November 26, 2017, while studying Film and Media at Edinburgh University.
A toxicology report found he had the equivalent of five ecstasy tablets in his system but no trace of alcohol. No one has ever been prosecuted.
Mandy, who runs the charity Spike Aware UK with Colin,
told the Mirror: 'A lot of the time it is a prank. Those doing it think it's funny and maybe they're on a night out and they think, 'Let's liven them up'.
'But it's not funny and a lot of victims end up with mental health issues. There's a big knock-on effect, so why is the perpetrator allowed to get away with it so easily?'
Figures released today show 6.6 million Brits have been spiked, based on a poll of 3,000 adults by CounterSpike, which makes test kits.
Their survey found 44% of people are worried about having their drinks tampered with and 52% believe it is on the rise.
CounterSpike, which has also created an app, has teamed up with Spike Aware UK to educate people on the dangers.
Mandy, of Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, who is also a carer and a beautician, said: 'The youngest victim we've heard of is 11. We spoke to the parents of a boy who was at a house party, who was rushed to hospital after being spiked – the police never even went back to investigate.
'Depending on where you are, police forces all have slightly different interpretations of the law – they need better guidance.'
Determined to help stop other families having to go through the heartache they have experienced, Mandy and Colin visit schools to educate youngsters on the risks. Remembering the night the police told them their son had died of a drug overdose, Mandy said: 'We couldn't believe it – he did motorbike racing and boxing, and was open to drug testing at any time.
'He was a cautious person and was filming a documentary on drink spiking, which could have made him a target. No one should ever walk free after spiking someone.'
The reasons for doing it vary from sexual assault to robbery or pranking. But the Mackies believe the problem is at its worst at universities and they hope the new law will be a true deterrent.
Mandy added: 'When we go to speak at Freshers Week we hear students say things like, 'It's the norm'. We want it to be treated as seriously as knife crime.'
With hopes that the law will come into force by the end of this year, Isle of Wight East Tory MP Joe Robertson is trying to get the loophole closed.
He is meeting with Solicitor General Lucy Rigby tomorrow to try to negotiate a change. He told the Mirror: ' Prank spiking ruins lives. We don't want anyone being let off by claiming they were 'only having a bit of fun'. We need to close this loophole.'
Warning signs that your drink may have been targeted include confusion, nausea, hallucinations and memory loss. To minimise the risk, do not accept drinks from strangers. Buy your own drink and never leave it unattended. For more information, visit spikeawareuk.org
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