The police officer responsible for writing Thames Valley Police’s new violence against women and girls strategy has apologised to a drink spiking victim who was left to feel like she had to investigate the incident herself.

Molly Hargreaves, then 19, reported her concerns that she’d been spiked with a needle during a night out in Abingdon celebrating Halloween last year.

Describing the police response as ‘disappointing’, she claimed to have been told by officers that they were not going to check all the CCTV from the venues as the time frame she’d given them might be wrong.

READ MORE: Commissioner says it's 'incumbent' on police to investigate drink spiking

Oxford Mail: The warning posted on social media by Ms Hargreaves Picture: SOCIAL MEDIAThe warning posted on social media by Ms Hargreaves Picture: SOCIAL MEDIA

“They said if there is another new case they will reopen mine. I feel like I have to be the person to investigate it and like I have to find the CCTV and the person,” she told the Oxford Mail.

“It's so disappointing, it feels like the police will only care when something serious happens after somebody has been injected or spiked.

“These people could carry on doing it and they're not getting any consequences.”

READ MORE: Police violence against women strategy lead says she was 'disgusted' by Wayne Couzens case

The Mail put Ms Hargreaves’ comments to Ch Supt Katy Barrow-Grint this week, as she spoke to the media ahead of the launch of Thames Valley Police’s new violence against women and girls strategy.

The senior officer said: “I would say sorry to that lady if she feels that she’s not had the service that she ought to have had and to come back and speak to us or speak to me individually around her concerns because I’d be very happy to talk to her.”

Ms Barrow-Grint said that drink spiking was a ‘significant concern’ to police, with meetings on the issue held at a national level.

She emphasised that the force took spiking reports seriously and referenced Project Vigilant - which sees officers work with nightclubs and pubs to promote safety, as well as patrolling nightspots in plain clothes to catch potential predatory behaviour.

She said: “We work very closely with pubs and bars and venues to make sure they are doing everything they can to tackle safety within the premises.”

READ MORE: Spiking victim 'disappointed' by police response

Asked on Tuesday, she was unable to say whether anyone had been arrested in Oxfordshire in the past six months on suspicion of drink spiking.

Last year, an investigation by this newspaper found that there were nearly 20 spiking incidents reported to police during a 12 month period between 2020 and 2021.

A keyword search by the police suggested that none involved spiking with a needle – with all related to drinks being adulterated.

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