No additional drink spiking laws

Despite the [previous] Home Secretary - Priti Patel – saying in 2022 that the government was looking into a specific criminal offence to target spiking directly, the government has said it will not create a specific offence for spiking, claiming that existing laws are sufficient to address the problem.

Spiking is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into another person's drink or body without their knowledge of consent. Spiking is illegal under current laws, for example the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

MPs on the Home Affairs Committee were among those calling for new legislation to target spiking but Home Office Minister Sarah Dines has said there were already several offences which covered spiking incidents and the government had not found any gap in the law. She said: "The existing offences cover all methods of spiking, including by drink, needle, vape, cigarette, food or any other known form. Police are yet to encounter a case where they could not apply an existing offence."

Labour MP Diana Johnson said she was disappointed by the government's decision as existing legislation was "clearly not working" and was not being used since prosecutions are very rare.

According to the National Police Chiefs Council, almost 5,000 cases of needle and drink spiking incidents were reported to police in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2022.