Ian Hart: ‘Be vigilant – and never leave a drink unattended’

Amy Hart, whose drink was spiked five years ago, gave her father permission to write about her experience

I have seen someone after having their drink spiked and it is not a pleasant experience.

This isn’t hearsay or rumour – it happened to my daughter Amy at a party five years ago.

She had been talking with some people at the bar while out and within 30 minutes she was poleaxed, semi-conscious despite having only had three Malibu and Cokes.

Nausea followed within an hour or so, without her losing consciousness, before she totally crashed out.

But perhaps the most significant aspect of the whole incident was that she woke up the next morning with no recollection of the previous evening, apart from being at the party early on.

I’ve chosen to write about it this week – with Amy’s permission – because the same thing happened to an acquaintance at a Worthing venue recently.

She was out celebrating her birthday and had not drunk much when she suddenly appeared to be really out of it and was barely able to stand up. Three unknown men came over and told security staff they knew her and would ‘get her home safely’.

Except they didn’t know her. Thankfully, she was with a friend who told them, in no uncertain terms, to go away, and took her to A&E.

In the wake of an alleged rape in the Town Centre recently, it appears everyone, especially local young females, have to be vigilant.

Please be careful when out enjoying yourselves. Make sure you don’t go home alone, or if you do use one of the local, reputable cab firms. And at no time leave your drink unattended.