Cabbie saves spiked-drink victim
24 August 2010
A spiked-drink victim today thanked a taxi driver who helped save her from a gang of strangers.
Lisa Atkinson had been enjoying a night out with friends in Sunderland City Centre only to wake up in a hospital bed with no memory of the terrifying events that unfolded.
Today the 28-year-old met the cabbie who intervened and stopped a man, and a gang waiting nearby, from taking her out of his cab while she was unable to speak or stand up properly.
Lisa, from East Herrington, says she dreads to think what would have happened had Harry Trott-Dixon not stepped in to help and is urging female drinkers to be more vigilant with their drinks.
"One minute I was out with the girls having a laugh and the next thing I know I am in hospital six hours later.
"I don't remember a thing," explains Lisa whose last memory is of being in the Vine Place area of the city centre.
Feeling dizzy and confused, Lisa left the hospital and it wasn't until Harry rang her mobile to check on her the next day that the realisation of what had happened hit the former St Anthony's pupil.
She reported the incident to police on Sunday, and they are reviewing CCTV footage, but it was too late to do a blood test.
Harry had picked Lisa up with a man, who is unknown to her, at a pizza shop off Vine Place and took them to an address in Easington Colliery.
At the back lane, there was a group waiting and the boy who had hailed the taxi tried to encourage Lisa, who was becoming increasingly distressed, out of the vehicle.
The Troy's taxi driver said: "I have been a taxi driver for 20 years and I have never seen anyone in the state she was. You could tell the pair just weren't right together and she didn't have a clue where she was. She didn't know her address and her belongings were all over the back seat.
"When we got to the back lane there was a group of about five or six people and it was obvious she didn't know any of them. I just wanted to
get her back in the car and out of there.
"I got abuse from the gang, but I didn't think of the consequences. I have a 24-year-old daughter and I would like to think someone would do the same for her."
Harry, who drives a Hackney cab, took Lisa back to the rank where a taxi marshal called police who rang for an ambulance.
Lisa, who works in marketing and PR, said: "I couldn't believe it when Harry told me what had happened. I had no flashbacks and everything was still so hazy.
"I'm kicking myself for not staying in hospital and having a blood test on Saturday morning, but I was confused and had no clue of what had happened.
"I had lost my friends. They kept ringing my mobile, but assumed I had gone home. They are so shocked, I think it has shaken them as much as it has me.
"I hate the fact that people make jokes and assume I was just drunk.
"You have to be so careful. I'm 28 and thought I was streetwise enough for this never to happen, but it's so easily done. I'm just so grateful to Harry as anything could have happened to me."
Northumbria Police are investigating the incident.
Acting Neighbourhood Inspector Mick Hall said: "If an individual believes they have consumed a spiked drink then they should seek help from a trusted friend or a member of staff and seek medical advice as soon as possible.
"People spiking drinks are committing a serious criminal offence and we would urge anyone who believes that their drink has been tampered with to contact the police.
"People should be reassured that cases of drink spiking do not happen often in Sunderland. Our advice is that people should not accept drinks from people they don't know, never leave their drink unattended and don't drink anything they suspect may have been tampered with."
Source; http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Cabb ... 6491132.jp
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