SPIKING incidents in Winchester have nearly halved in the past three years, according to police who released their latest stats in a bid to make students aware of the crime during Freshers' Week. 

With students returning to universities and some Freshers' Week activity taking place already, Hampshire Constabulary have been working with universities and licenced premises to stamp out spiking, where alcohol or drugs are put into another person’s drink or body without their consent or knowledge.
 
The police have seen a reduction of reported incidents over the past three years – with figures previously peaking nationwide in student-related areas in autumn 2021. It said that during August and December of this period, there were a total of 212 reported spiking incidents.
 
Incidents have decreased throughout the county since then – with figures having more than halved for the same period in 2023; with 91 offences being reported to police. 
 
Since the peak in late 2021, there has been a steady decrease in reported spiking offences across Hampshire's three main student populated areas covering Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester.
 
In Southampton, where there were 71 reported spiking incidents between August and December 2021, figures show this more than halved during the same period in 2023 with 29 spiking offences reported to police. 
 
A similar trend occurred in Portsmouth whereby reported incidents dropped to 26 offences between August and December last year, compared to 75 offences in the same reporting period back in 2021. 
 
Meanwhile, despite the relatively low numbers initially in 2021, the Winchester area has also seen a decrease in offending, with eight offences reported to police during the autumn period in 2023, falling from 14 during the same timeframe in 2021. 
 
In addition to working with universities and licenced premises to increase spiking awareness, police said they are seeking to increase local patrols around halls of residences and the bars and clubs in areas popular with students. 
 
Violence Against Women and Girls lead for Hampshire police, Chief Superintendent Clare Jenkins, said: “We recognise that drink spiking is a big concern among students and the wider local communities where our local universities are based. We want to offer reassurances that our licencing teams – along with the local policing teams – have been working tirelessly to further develop our understanding of spiking incidents across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 
 
“The most important element on a night out, whether that is in the night time economy or during a Student Union run event, apart from looking out for one another is never to leave your drink unattended – whether it’s alcoholic or not. Likewise, we would urge extreme caution about accepting a drink from someone you do not know – it has the potential to have devastating consequences if your drink is spiked in the process. 
 
“We are very clear that violence, intimidation, misogyny, sexism and harassment of any kind towards women and girls is not acceptable in any form. That is why we are committed to identifying and relentlessly pursuing perpetrators, especially those who purposely set out to target and cause intentional harm to women and girls." 

She said the police force takes reports of spiking 'very seriously' and that they would be tackling perpetrators. 
 
Officers will be using the best investigative lines of enquiry when suspected spiking incidents are reported, including taking a sample for forensic examination.

The force has multi-drug urine test kits which give an immediate reading and help obtain early evidence. 
 
Chief Supt Jenkins, continued: “We are making a plea for members of the public not to be a bystander to any suspected spiking incidents – whether that be involving a woman or a man – make a conscious decision to speak up and out."  

She urged people concerned about themselves or a friend to call police straight away using 999.