Wristbands which change colour when drink has been spiked could be rolled out in UK

‘Date rape’ wristbands could be rolled out as part of a trial by police.

The wristbands change colour within two minutes of being exposed to a drop of a drink if it’s been spiked by common date rape drugs, alerting the drinker before they take a sip.

They only need a drop of a drink from a straw to work. The wristbands will change colour of the drink contains ketamine, ecstasy (MDMA) and the common date rape drug Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) which causes drowsiness.

However, the wristbands are unable to identify every drug, including another common date rape drug called Rohypnol.

Essex police are hoping to run a trial which sees these wristbands rolled out across the county if they can find a manufacturer to produce them.

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This comes as rates of drink-spiking offences reported have soared in the county in recent years.

Drink spiking is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into your drink without your knowledge or permission, which can in turn change how you feel or behave. They can make you feel confused, experience memory loss or cause unconsciousness.

Attackers sometimes use drink spiking as a method to sexually assault another person with the intention of making them more vulnerable.

It is a serious crime that is on the rise.

Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is illegal to administer a substance to someone with 'intent to overpower that person to enable sexual activity with them', an offence that is punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment.

However, drink spiking offences recorded by Essex Police has increased significantly every year from 2016 to 2022, except the 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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In 2016 Essex county saw 60 recorded drink-spiking offences, rising to 354 offences in 2022 representing an increase of 490 percent.

Essex Police are hoping to fund the initiative with the help of nighttime businesses.

Liam Currivan, distribution manager at Abingdon Simply Test, a firm which produces anti-spiking products, said: “They can also prove tricky with strongly coloured drinks, such as red wine, as the liquid will change the colour of the test itself.”

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: "Drink spiking is conducted in crowded places where victims may not see who the perpetrator is.

“Our understanding is that victims of this offence may not feel unwell immediately and may not realise that they have been a victim of this crime."

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They continued: "We would encourage them to seek medical assistance as soon as practicable.

"If they are still at the venue, make the staff aware so they can look out for anything suspicious as it happens and to help provide evidential opportunities for our investigation.

“Our licensing teams work with all pubs and clubs, advising them how they can help spot the signs of potential drink spiking and actions they can take to help prevent this from happening.

“Activities include drink caps to place over glasses, information posters on display in licensed premises, clear drinks policies where unattended glasses are removed from the bar and searches upon entry.

"If you believe your drink has been tampered with, don’t drink it.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact Victim Support, an independent charity for victims and witnesses of crime which offers free, confidential help to anyone who’s been affected by sexual harassment. Call 08 08 16 89 111 or go to Victim Support's website.

For more information, you can also visit drinkaware.