Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to hold a meeting with police chiefs and hospitality leaders to discuss action to tackle spiking.

The government is vowing to provide extra training for bar staff to help them stop spiking incidents, provide support to victims and also retain evidence to help catch the culprits.

It has also reiterated plans to make it a specific criminal offence to give someone alcohol or drugs without them knowing, the BBC reports.

At the meeting which will also involve transport bosses, British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi will draw attention to the relaunch of 61016, a free text-to-report number people can use to in the event of harassment on the train.

Starmer has described tackling spiking as a key issue in the government's efforts to "stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home".

He said: "We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice."

UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholl and Chief Constable Maggie Blythe - the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for violence against women and girls (VAWG) will also be in attendance at the meeting.

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