A Personal Update: The Fight to Strengthen the Law on Spiking

Dear Supporters,

Many of you will know that our son, Greg, tragically lost his life in 2017 after a suspected “prank” spiking. Since then, we have campaigned for stronger laws, better awareness, and real change to stop this from happening to others. Today, we want to share some important updates on where we are—and why the fight is far from over.

A new criminal offence for spiking
In early 2025, the Government proposed to introduce a new, stand-alone criminal offence that makes it illegal to administer a harmful substance—including through spiking—without someone’s consent. This will replace the outdated laws from 1861 and makes the offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison.  The law is yet to established and is still going through parliament, but we are expecting and hopeful that it to be published towards the end of this year. This will be a significant step forward. It gives police and prosecutors a much clearer legal tool to bring offenders to justice and should encourage more victims to come forward.

Training to protect people on nights out
Alongside the legal changes, thousands of hospitality staff across England and Wales will receive specialist training this year to help them spot and respond to suspected spiking incidents. This is something campaigners, including ourselves, have been calling for—and it could make a real difference in preventing harm before it happens.

A loophole that still needs closing
While these reforms are welcome, there’s still a serious problem. The law currently requires proof that the offender intended to injure, aggrieve, or annoy the victim. This means so-called “prank” spiking—done recklessly, without thinking about the danger—may not be covered.This is exactly what happened to Greg. And it’s why we are supporting an amendment to the law, proposed by MP Joe Robertson, to make reckless spiking a crime in its own right. It has cross-party backing, but we need to keep the pressure on to make sure it passes.

How you can help
Your support has brought us this far. Please continue to share our message, talk to your MPs, and raise awareness in your communities.

The more voices we have, the harder it will be for decision-makers to ignore this vital change.Together, we can make sure the law reflects the true seriousness of spiking—whether it’s done with malicious intent or reckless disregard for someone’s safety.

Thank you for standing with us,
Colin & Mandy