Kettering nightclub spiking investigation after woman taken to hospital

Police believe a woman who fell unwell on a night out in Kettering may have been spiked in a town nightclub.

An investigation has been launched after the victim, aged 20, had to go to KGH in the early hours of Sunday morning (October 31).

She had been in The Loft in Dalkeith Place when the report of spiking happened between 2.45am and 3am.

At the time the venue had been holding a Halloween 'Night of the Purge' night.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: "We are treating it as an incident of spiking and anyone with any information is asked to come forward quoting incident number 21000634479."

A spokesman for The Loft said they were working with police and have increased measures to protect those on a night out.

They will be offering free anti-spiking bottle stoppers, doing more rigorous searches and will have a welfare officer available on-site.

In a social media statement, the spokesman said: "After national and local reports regarding an increase in spiking, we as an establishment have decided to increase the measures available to protect our customers.

"We take all reports of this nature very seriously and will continue to do our utmost to protect our customers safety and welfare.

"We are aware of an incident at the weekend that we are currently working together with the police to deal with it.

"Customer safety and welfare is our main priority. Running alongside the current measures, we will be doing more rigorous searches upon entry, higher security vigilance, a welfare officer as a direct point of contact will be available on site as well as anti-spiking bottle stoppers free of charge.

"We ask everyone to be patient upon entry due to the enhanced person & bag searching.

"If anyone suspects themselves or a friend of being spiked, all members of staff are available to assist and will confidentially guide you to medical assistance."

Last month police confirmed there had been 23 reports of believed drink spiking in nine venues in nearby Northampton venues since the start of September.

Figures released last month revealed 56 incidents of spiking by injection were recorded by forces in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in September and October, in addition to 198 confirmed reports of drink spiking.

Young women boycotted bars and clubs in 45 cities across the UK with several bars in Nottingham - where more than a dozen women believe they were spiked by an injection - giving female staff the night off to support the boycott.