Man allegedly spiked with needle at Pryzm Watford

Kelly Currie, from Bushey, had to pick up her 19-year-old son Carter in the early morning on Saturday (November 13) after he became incredibly out of character and intoxicated just one hour into visiting Pryzm Watford.

It is understood that Carter had just two drinks at the club between midnight and 1am, when he started showing signs making his girlfriend and friend suspect that he was spiked.

Carter, who has no recollection of the night other than leaving the cinema just before visiting Pryzm, was brought to the outdoor area by his two peers and then fell on to a table, and bouncers then kicked him out assuming that he was just drunk.

However at this point his girlfriend began “freaking out” as she knew that he did not have enough to be drunk, and feared that he may have been spiked.

It comes amid an influx of spiking cases in the UK – with specifically 280 cases of spiking with a needle in the past two months, compared to 2,600 recorded cases of drink spiking between 2015 and 2019 in the UK.

Carter's arm shows suspicious marks that are believed to be from a needle - suggesting he may have been spiked

His mother was forced to drive to Pryzm to pick up Carter, and she said: “As soon as I saw him and his eyes, I knew he’d been drugged.”

She recalled that Carter, who is still new to the clubbing scene particularly due to his age and lockdown restrictions, has drunk before and she knows what his normal drunk behaviour is like.

Police at the scene agreed it appeared he was spiked and advised her to take him to A&E if his condition worsens.

When at home, she took off his watch and noticed what appeared to be a needle mark and a “sore” spot on his arm.

While inspecting him as he was in bed, she said: “I noticed there was still nothing, I was moving him and he was not moving anymore. He just wasn’t waking up, he was actually unconscious.”

Carter also suffered irregular heartbeats and was generally unresponsive. He was then taken to hospital.

Carter (left) and girlfriend Lauren (right)

Police are now investigating the alleged spiking incident, but the mother wishes to raise awareness of spiking in Watford after also hearing from a lot of other alleged spiking victims in the area recently after posting her story on social media.

She said: “It is absolutely petrifying, it completely rocked my world in a really bad way.

“It’s not just over now, we have to wait for the blood to see whether it’s a dirty needle and that’s what really stresses me out.

“There’s been some cases that I’ve read about of people being injected and getting HIV.”

The concerned mother also pointed out that while much media attention is on women victims who have been spiked, men can also fall victim to getting spiked.

She hopes that more clubs and bars in the Watford area implement stricter searches and enforcement to prevent similar situations from happening.

Pryzm in Watford. Picture: Holly Cant.

A spokesperson from Pryzm Watford said: “Everyone should feel safe on a night out, and they should feel safe in our club. We are the most regulated part of the hospitality sector; we work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment so that all our guests can enjoy a fun night out and will do everything we can to protect this right.”

The nightclub added that while “these incidents are incredibly rare” that it takes “all reports of drink spiking very seriously”.

The spokesperson continued to explain that it has a ‘We Care’ policy and supports the current ‘Ask Angela’ initiative rolled out across bars and clubs.

“We are offering anti-spiking devices to all of our guests and operate 100% searches on entry, which also includes ID scanners and metal detector arches.

“We have extensive CCTV coverage throughout the venue and our security teams wear bodycams and we will pass on footage to the police to help with any investigation.

“Anyone who is suspected of spiking will be detained and handed over to the police.”

REKOM UK, which runs Pryzm and a series of nightclubs across the UK, reports no one has been caught with a needle in any of its clubs despite searching 3million each year over the last ten years.

What have police said?

Detectives from Watford’s Local Crime Unit are investigating four reports from members of the public who believe they may have been spiked with a needle while visiting clubs in the town.

All the alleged incidents occurred overnight between the Friday and Saturday, involving young adults – three females and one male.

Hertfordshire Constabulary say all victims got home safely without any becoming victim to any other offences.

One of the women was in Walkabout, while the other three were in Pryzm, and all evidence is currently being gathered, retained and reviewed.

CCTV footage has been reviewed but at the moment no one has been identified.

Watford Chief Inspector Ian Grout said: “It’s important to note that currently, we have no firm evidence that any needle spiking has ever occurred in Watford. However people are doing the right thing by reporting their concerns to police.

“We are investigating each report fully and also working with bars and clubs to make sure the town continues to be a safe place for everyone to enjoy a night out.

“All four people who reported alleged spikings this weekend got home safely without becoming victim to any other offences.”

He added: “By their very nature, these incidents are challenging to investigate and capturing evidential opportunities as soon as possible is absolutely vital so that if any drug has been administered, we have forensic proof of that.

“If you or a friend believe you have been spiked, then please report it to us as soon as possible – preferably in person to a police officer on the same night so we can capture any evidence at the earliest opportunity.”