A young woman in Kildare suffered a seizure and ended up in hospital after she was allegedly spiked on night out - with up to five other women potentially spiked at the same club.
Kate Dempsey, 20, went out to McGowan’s bar and nightclub in Newbridge on March 12 for a night out with her friends.
However, the night took a scary turn when she blacked out and was later rushed to Naas General Hospital by ambulance when she started having a seizure at home.
In the hospital, she was shocked when paramedics told her that four other women who had attended the same nightclub had also been admitted to hospital that night, all suffering the same condition.
Kate said she remembers having three drinks at the club but cannot remember anything after 11.30pm and believes she was spiked.
When she got home at 3.25am she started having a seizure - something she had never suffered with before - and was "hyperventilating and going in and out of consciousness".
Kate told Dublin Live: “I went into the nightclub at around 9:30pm. I went in myself and I met up with the girls and I was grand, it was a normal night out and we were chatting away. Then the DJ came on about 11:00pm and I went to the dancefloor.
“I only had three drinks from what I can remember, then something happened and my memory is completely gone.
“Nothing came back to me and two weeks later, nothing is coming back at all. It’s just blank from that time.
“I’ve no memory after 11:30pm that night, my friends said I was completely fine and then around 2:00am I seemed drunk, my eyes were rolling to the back of my head.”
Kate's friends knew something wasn’t right when they got home and they called an ambulance for her.
“I got home and I started having seizures at 3:25am - my body was fitting, I was hyperventilating and I was coming in and out of consciousness,” Kate continued.
“It lasted for two hours and I got an ambulance. I’ve no health conditions so I think my friends knew it was spiking. Even when I got into the ambulance, I was aware of what was happening during the seizures. I just had no control over my body.
“I could hear the paramedics say it wasn’t the drink, it was something else. When I was brought into the hospital they asked if I come from the nightclub I was in.
"I said yes, and they said I was the fifth girl who came in from there that night.
"I arrived at the hospital at 5:45am, so I didn’t react to whatever I was given for a while."
Kate was physically sick for a few days after, and she is now afraid to go out again after the terrifying ordeal.
She believes that it’s not her fault, or the nightclubs fault - the person to blame is the one who spiked her drink.
She explained: “I was sick for a few days after. I was paranoid because my hospital tests came back clear and I didn't know what I was given.
"I was very weak and I felt nauseous for a few days after.
“You don’t really realise how much it impacts you until you go through it. I don’t know when I’ll want to go out again, I’m nowhere near wanting to go out again. I keep replaying the bits I remember in my head.
“I loved my nights out, but now I’ve zero interest. Even on a quiet night, if someone asks me if I want to go for one drink I can’t. I don’t want to drink.”
Kate took to Instagram to share about her ordeal, with her post going viral and receiving over 12,000 likes.
On March 24, McGowan’s Pub - which also hosts the Apollo nightclub, where the alleged spiking took place - took to Facebook to say: “It is most troubling that reports have been circulating on social media regarding the alleged spiking of customers at our premises on Saturday, March 12.
“To date, no complaints have been made to us by or on behalf of injured parties. No witnesses have come forward, and the CCTV footage does not reveal any such activity.
“However, we are acutely aware that offenders operate in a discreet, nefarious and cunning manner.
"We encourage any and all injured parties and witnesses to reach out to us, so that we can investigate the matter fully and assist in apprehending any offender(s).
“Management has spoken with An Garda Siochana regarding the posts on social media.
"Following that discussion and having reviewed the general HSE advice, we would implore all of our customers to immediately seek the assistance of our staff, local medical authorities and An Garda Siochana should they suspect that a spiking incident has occurred.
“This will allow the immediate apprehension of the perpetrator of the assault.
“All staff are committed to ensuring that every customer has a safe and enjoyable experience at Mc Gowan’s of Newbridge.”
A Garda spokesman told Dublin Live: "An Garda Siochana received a report of one alleged incident at a premises in Newbridge on Saturday, 12 March, 2022, and continue to conduct enquiries to establish the nature of this incident.
"We have no further information available at this time."
