The Home Secretary has met with Darlington's MP to discuss incidents of spiking in the town - with both parties concluding steps are being taken to combat the crime at a local and national level.

The last fortnight has seen many reports of spiking in Darlington emerge, prompting concern about its prevalence in the town, 

MP Peter Gibson, has made efforts to "alay and reassure"  his constituents about efforts that are being made to combat spiking. Last week, Mr Gibson met with those involved locally such as the Police and Crime Commissioner and leading members of the council, to learn more about ongoing efforts to make Darlington a safe and appealing nightlife destination. 

For the Northern Echo, Mr Gibson writes: "People should be reassured that steps are being taken both in the community and by the Police to tackle this problem."

Read more: OPINION: MP Peter Gibson weighs in on spiking in Darlington

Other politicians in the town, such as Lola McEvoy, Labour's Parliamentary candidate, have suggested that specific schemes should be put in place to tackle drink and needle spiking, such as anonymous testing, which could help police pick up hotspots. 

However, Peter Gibson has deemed these measures unnecessary at current, as many venues in Darlington already offering tests. 

Mr Gibson added: "I take our community’s concerns on this issue very seriously, and that is why I met with Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, to share my concerns about the increase in reports of spiking in Darlington.

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"It was clear to me that the Home Secretary recognises and shares people’s concerns about spiking. It was reassuring to learn that all of the necessary legislation to prosecute a perpetrator is already in place.

"It’s catching the criminal responsible for spiking that poses the biggest challenge to the authorities."

"Have a safe and enjoyable night out in Darlington."