AN 18-year-old girl has spoken of her terror after she believes she was spiked during a night out in Darlington.

Emily Hammond was out with her friends on Friday night and the early hours of Saturday when she collapsed after leaving the Hoskins, in Blackwellgate.

The teenager, from Darlington, had to go to hospital following the incident.

Police have said they are investigating a separate incident of a woman’s drink being spiked in the town, reported at about the same time and added they were aware of reports of a second incident, which was being discussed on social media.  

Read more: We went out on patrol with police in Darlington on Friday night

Emily, who works as a kitchen assistant at a care home, spent several hours at Darlington Memorial Hospital before discharging herself on Saturday morning.

Describing the incident as “scary”, she added: “I was totally out of it.”

She has been struggling with anxiety since the incident but wanted to speak out to warn other young women about the incident.

The Northern Echo:

She said: “Each day is getting better but its not 100 per cent yet.

“I’ve never seen anyone be spiked before or had it happen. I was in shock.

“I just want to raise awareness for other girls that it could happen. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. It was scary what I’ve gone through.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go out in town for a while.”

She became aware something was wrong shortly after leaving the venue just after 1am on Saturday.

She said: “I was absolutely fine until we left.

"This guy pulled me in close at one point, I think that’s when it happened. He grabbed me and held me and we decided to leave soon after that because he was hassling me.

“I noticed it soon as I left. My leg was numb. I went and sat down and couldn’t feel anything and them I collapsed. I started to pass out and that’s when my memory starts to go.”

Her friends phoned for an ambulance, which took her to Darlington Memorial Hospital, where she says an injection site was found on the side of her leg.

She discharged herself at about 5am and has been recovering at home.

She was unable to walk the following day and was still feeling tired and achy on Monday.

Emily added: “I think it was injected, There was an injection site on the side of my leg. It’s quite bruised.”

She said the incident had been reported to Durham Police but she had not yet spoken to an officer on Monday night.

The Hoskins manager Helen Douglas said she had only become aware of the incident the following day after seeing a social media post but said the venue was taking the matter seriously and she was reviewing CCTV from the night. 

The Northern Echo:

She said: “I spoke to my doormen the next night and they told me she had left the venue before they knew anything about it.

“We are taking this as a serious incident however and we are currently trying to get another door staff member and a toilet attendant for the ladies toilets as well as random searches when people enter the venue to try and deter this from happening again.”

Durham Police said an investigation was underway into a separate spiking allegation, which was reported to have happened at the same time.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: “Police are investigating an incident in which an 18-year-old woman reported having had her drink spiked at a venue in Darlington in the early hours of Saturday, March 5.

“We are also aware of social media reports relating to a second alleged spiking incident in the town centre at the weekend.

“We would encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of drink spiking to seek medical attention as quickly as possible and report the incident to police.

“Drink spiking is a very serious offence and over the last year, Durham Constabulary and partners have worked on a number of practical measures to make our town and city centres safer, including enhanced training for licensed premises door staff and extra weekend patrols by officers”

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