Man convicted of attempted spiking in Mayfair

A man who was arrested and charged by Met detectives within 24 hours of attempting to spike a woman in a London club has been convicted today.

Vikas Nath, 63 (11.01.1963) of Knightsbridge, SW1X appeared at Southwark Crown Court where he was convicted of administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence and possession of a controlled class B drug.

Detective Constable Louis Prior, of the Met’s Public Protection Command, said:

“Nath’s actions were despicable and sinister, adding a dangerous drug to a woman’s drink while she wasn’t present in an attempt to enable sexual activity.

“Thanks to the quick-thinking actions of the venue’s staff and the thorough work of the attending officers and investigation team, Nath was prevented from causing harm to the victim and is now held accountable for his actions.

“I commend the strength of this victim throughout the investigation. It’s hard to imagine how she is feeling after discovering Nath’s predatory intentions, however she has demonstrated immense strength and courage.

“I also thank the venue for their cooperation throughout this investigation and for sharing our commitment to further safeguard women and girls.”

An investigation was launched on Monday, 15 January 2024 after police were called to a private members club on Berkeley Square, W1 at around 19:41hrs. This was following a report from diligent members of staff, who had witnessed Nath use a straw to transfer liquid from a small bottle into the drink of the woman.

On police arrival, officers searched Nath finding no drugs in his possession. A review of CCTV from inside the venue, showed Nath remove a small bottle from his trouser pocket and use a straw to transfer liquid from the bottle into the woman’s drink on two occasions before going to the toilet. Officers searched the toilet and located a discarded bottle in the cistern of the toilet in the cubicle.

He was arrested on scene on suspicion of administering a substance with intent and charged the following day.

The spiked drink was analysed by forensic officers, showing it to be GBL, a rare but dangerous substance with the ability incapacitate those who ingest it.

Officers searched his home address and located two larger bottles of unlabelled clear liquid under his kitchen sink. This was also tested and found to be GBL.

Following a five day trial at Southwark Crown Court, Nath was convicted of attempting to administering a substance with intent and possession of a controlled class B drug.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.

DC Prior added: “I understand that, despite spiking incidents being uncommon within London, cases such as this will cause concern amongst members of the public.

“We are better trained than ever to investigate spiking offences and work closely with nighttime economy venues across the capital, to ensure that staff are acutely aware of what to do should they become concerned.

“We encourage anyone who may be concerned to contact the police as soon as possible.”

The Met continues to prioritise the safety of women and girls and is relentlessly targeting offenders to secure justice for victims of sexual violence. The Met has rolled out new, bespoke training to 23,000 officers and staff. This training is strengthening officer skills to better investigate offences and provide more meaningful support to victims.

Across the busiest nighttime economy periods and locations, last year the Met combined awareness campaigns with cutting edge technology in partnership with Meta and the Safer Business Network, officers launched an immersive virtual reality experience in central London, inviting office workers to step into real-life scenarios where spiking could occur.

Alongside public engagement, officers are exploring the use of specialist vape-spiking detection equipment capable of rapidly testing vapes suspected to contain drugs such as THC or Spice.

This technology, already deployed in nightclubs, festivals and schools, is part of a wider toolkit that includes mobile drug testing equipment and near infra-red detectors supported by a mobile app, which can quickly identify powders and tablets suspected of containing controlled substances.

Last year, this Met wide crackdown in spiking offences, resulted in an 125 per-cent increase in charges compared to 2024, highlighting the impact of early reporting and collaborative prevention efforts.