Ruby Calver, 21, was enjoying a night out with friends in Shoreditch, East London, when she suddenly felt an 'immense feeling of dread' and her legs gave way. She collapsed and was carried out of the club, vomiting repeatedly before being taken to hospital by ambulance. The next thing she remembers is waking up in hospital the following morning.
The pet sitter from Chelmsford, Essex, says she can 'normally handle her drink well' and believes she was spiked after her newly ordered drink was left unattended at the bar. She reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police and is awaiting forensic results from a urine sample.
A terrifying collapse
Ruby described the sudden onset of symptoms: 'Out of nowhere, there was this immense feeling of dread. I remember thinking something's not right. The last thing I remember is tapping my cousin aggressively and then it just went black.' She says her legs gave out and she fell to the floor. 'I have no idea how we got out. Apparently some men lifted me up and took me outside, but my memory of it is so blacked out.'
Her cousin called an ambulance. Ruby recalls only fragments: 'The only thing I remember outside [the club] is looking down at my legs and thinking my legs aren't working, why are my legs not working? I was so confused.' She vomited repeatedly, which she says is unusual for her. 'I was puking constantly - on the street, in the hospital and in the ambulance. It was like my body was rejecting what I had and it was trying to get it out.'
Alcohol intake was less than usual
Ruby, who is 5ft 10ins and weighs 200lbs, says she normally holds her alcohol well. On the night, she had only four small cocktail cans at a day event, three tiny cocktail teacups, and later two double vodka and cokes. 'I had drunk less than I normally would. I'd eaten when we were out and we took breaks in between drinking. I remember at certain points sobering up completely. It was less than I would usually drink on a night out and the alcohol wasn't as strong. It doesn't make any sense. I think the whole time I kind of knew I must have been spiked.'
She woke in hospital with hand marks on her arms from being held up. 'I was just completely dead weight, my legs weren't working.'
Police response and ongoing investigation
Officers from the Met Police attended the hospital to collect a urine sample for forensic testing, which Ruby is still waiting for results. The Met Police confirmed they responded to reports of an alleged spiking at a bar in Shoreditch. A spokesperson said: 'Officers, alongside the London Ambulance Service, attended and treated a woman in her 20s before taking her to hospital. She continues to be supported by officers. Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made.' Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting CAD522/07JUN26.
The Met Police added: 'The Met has invested significantly in tackling spiking, leading on new detection technology and working with partners to strengthen prevention in nightlife settings. From January to December 2025, positive outcomes, including charges, increased by 132 per cent compared to the previous year.'
Warning to women
Ruby says the experience has made her 'hypervigilant' and 'worried' about going out. 'It's definitely freaked me out - I've started researching things like cup covers. I just want to be able to go out and have a nice time but it does put me off. I'm hypervigilant all the time and I'm assessing my surroundings, which is tiring.'
She urges women to 'stick together' on nights out. 'Don't go anywhere by yourself - go to the bathrooms with people, don't go outside, don't go off on your own. Keep your girls around you because at any time you could just not feel right. Have friends around, possibly drink covers and keep an eye out, be wary. Definitely don't leave your drink on the bar unattended for too long.'
