Lincoln taxi driver takes five drink-spiking victims to A&E in just a week
https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news ... ve-6079493
"I have to go the extra mile to help girls"
Image: Lincolnshire Echo/James Turner
A Lincoln taxi driver says she had to take five young women to hospital in just a week.
Carol Houchin, 45, has been a taxi driver for Direct Cars in Lincoln for 20 years and said she was asked to take two girls to A and E after police told her they had been spiked.
Street pastors in Lincoln also asked her to take three other girls to A and E, she said.
Ms Houchin said these instances occurred during freshers week, the first-week university students tend to go out in Lincoln, and happened on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.
She said: "I spoke to one of the friends who was with a friend who got spiked. She said they'd just come to Lincoln and were from Sheffield studying at the University of Lincoln.
"It was their first night out basically.
"It's not very nice to witness at all, those girls were very vulnerable."
She added: "The friend drank the same amount as what her friend drank and she was absolutely fine.
"She said her friend had left her drink to turn round and speak to someone whilst the bar."
Ms Houchin said once she got the girls to A and E, she went to reception to explain the situation.
She said: "The girls were in no fit state to say anything.
"I got her checked in, I can't just dump her in the middle of A and E and say right, off you go.
"I have to go the extra mile to help girls."
Image: Lincolnshire Echo/James Turner
During her time as a taxi driver, Ms Houchin said she used to think Lincoln was a safe city but said she felt it had now got worse.
She said: "Nights out in Lincoln have definitely got worse, especially for the girls.
"When the coronavirus lockdown was lifted, it's got worse from there.
"It doesn't matter if you're female or male but it is happening more to females."
Ms Houchin also said that she has noticed how dark some streets are when she's dropping people off after a night out.
She said: "I drop girls off in streets with no lights on and I'll always wait until they get indoors.
"It's something I do, male or female.
"The street lights need to be switched back on."
Ms Houchin lives in Hemswell near Gainsborough and has three children, two of whom have left home and an 18-year-old son.
She told Lincolnshire Live that her job is to get people to and from places safely.
She said: "If some girls weren't found by the police or were left in the road, I would hate to think what would happen to them."
Ms Houchin also said she is known as the disco taxi in Lincoln, due to the disco lights on her taxi.
She said: "I like to bring a bit of enjoyment into taking people into town.
"You're not just booking a taxi, I'm going the extra mile.
"A lot of people do recognise me as the disco taxi."
Ms Houchin said she felt very safe as a female taxi driver in Lincoln, and there was a panic button that she can press if she gets into any trouble but said she has never had to use it.
She said: "If girls don't feel comfortable, they can always ring Direct Cars and request a female driver."
