WMP joins national charity for anti-spiking operation in Birmingham and Wolverhampton
West Midlands Police officers teamed up with a national spiking charity for a targeted engagement operation across Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres ahead of Valentine’s Day.
Our force lead for spiking was joined by city centre teams, licensing officers and the founders of Spike Aware UK and BevGARDien. Together, they visited local bars, pubs and clubs to speak with staff and customers about the realities of drink spiking.
Spiking occurs when alcohol and/or drugs are added to someone’s drink without their knowledge or consent. It can also involve injecting someone with drugs.
Spiking is a serious crime that can happen to anyone, anywhere and can be carried out by strangers or people you know. It is illegal and carries a sentence of up to ten years in prison. If a robbery, sexual assault or other crime took place, the sentence may be even longer.
The operation highlighted the work of two key partners:
- Spike Aware UK is a national charity dedicated to raising awareness, preventing incidents and support victims of all forms of spiking
- BevGARDien create sustainable anti-spiking lids that are designed to fit pint glasses, cocktail glasses, cans and bottles
Over the course of the two nights, the teams visited a variety of popular spots to assess safety measures and offer advice.
In Wolverhampton, they went to Slug & Lettuce, PACK, Goose Wolverhampton, The Moon Under Water, The University of Wolverhampton Students’ Union and The Planet Nightclub.
In Birmingham, they visited The Cocktail Club, Be At One, Tonight Josephine, The Colmore, Theatrix, Albert’s Schloss, Slug & Lettuce, Barbara’s Bier Haus and Reflex.
At each venue, the teams spoke with security staff and managers about the procedures and prevention tools, including anti-spiking lids, dedicated safe spaces for customers and the Ask For Angela scheme.
During the operation, several members of the public shared their own experiences of being spiked with our teams, highlighting why this work remains so vital.
DCI Lucy Kirwan, spiking lead for West Midlands Police, said: “Partnering with Spike Aware UK and BevGARDien over these two nights has been incredibly valuable. It allowed us to see firsthand the measures venues have in place and to speak directly with the community about their safety.
“Anyone of any age or gender can be a victim of spiking, so we want to reassure you that the force and our partners are working hard to make you feel safer on nights out.
“Spiking is an offence we take extremely seriously, yet it remains underreported. We want to encourage anyone who suspects they or a friend have been spiked to come forward. Reporting not only allows us to support victims immediately, but it also helps us identify hotspot locations and target our resources effectively.”
Colin Mackie, Co-Founder of Spike Aware UK, said: “We founded Spike Aware UK eight years ago after Mandy and I lost our 18-year-old son to a drink spiking incident. At the time, there wasn’t much support available. Now, we work with police, universities, schools and venues to ensure no other family goes through what we did.
“Our advice for those who are out socialising – especially in the night time economy – is to keep your drinks covered, never leave them unattended and don’t accept drinks from strangers. If you see suspicious behaviour, tell staff or security immediately.”
George Rowley, co-founder of BevGARDien, added: “We got involved with this important work because we believe everyone deserves to feel safe while enjoying a night out. Our goal is to provide venues and consumers with a simple, sustainable way to ensure everyone has a good time.
“By using our universal lids, venues can offer a visible layer of protection that doesn’t ruin the experience of a night out. It’s a small addition that makes a huge difference in peace of mind for both the person with the drink and the staff behind the bar.
“Each lid includes a QR code linking to public resources, with a red button for public advice and a green button for venue guidance in the event of suspected spiking.”
For more advice on staying safe or to report an incident, visit our dedicated spiking page: Spiking | West Midlands Police