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PAIGE MYERS WAS CAPTURED ON CCTV POURING A SUBSTANCE INTO THE VICTIM'S DRINK KALI LINDSAY Durham Reporter and STEVE GRAVES Executive Editor Digital 14:07, 30 May 2025 A woman asmitted
spiking a pub-goer's drink with poppers, a poison known as amyl nitrite, but avoided prison time. After the victim went to the loo and returned to her table, she noticed her drink had
an odd smell and experienced dizziness and confusion, Newcastle Crown Court heard. Paige Myers, 21, was seen on CCTV tampering with the victim's beverage at the pub in Prudhoe on April
20 last year.. Prosecutor Rachel Butt said: "At 10.30pm [the victim] went to the bathroom and left her drink on the table where the defendant, who she did not know, was sitting. CCTV
captured the defendant removing an object from her left pocket, later discovered to be liquid gold poppers, and pouring it into [the victim's] drink on the table in front of her before
returning the drink to its normal position." She added: "[The victim] returned to the table and picked up her drink. She smelt the drink and described it as having a strange smell,
causing her to feel dizzy, spaced out and her head to be pounding. She then began to panic." Ms Butt informed the court that the defendant was identified by the landlady through CCTV
footage and was subsequently contacted by the victim via Facebook. The victim attempted to call the defendant, but she failed to answer. The next day, the victim made another attempt to
contact the defendant, and it was agreed that the defendant's family would provide compensation. The money was intended to be donated to charity, and the victim agreed not to pursue
further action. The defendant met with the victim and handed over approximately £500. However, the money was later returned to the defendant. Ms Butt stated: "There were multiple
messages exchanged over the following day, which ultimately led to the victim reporting the incident to the police on April 22. The police visited the victim's address and seized the
drink, as she had taken it from the public house." The analysis of the drink revealed the presence of poppers. During the police interview, the defendant admitted to pouring a
"small amount of liquid gold poppers" into the drink, claiming it was meant as a "joke" and believing the drink belonged to a friend. Recorder Makepeace noted that the
defendant had shown remorse and described her actions as "seriously reckless". He further stated: "You were and remain utterly ignorant to how a substance might have affected
your intended recipient." He further commented: "It was a very, very serious and reckless act. It was a wildly reckless thing to do. No less reckless than throwing a bottle up in
the air and taking a chance as to where it might land." Article continues below Recorder Peter Makepeace expressed his satisfaction that the defendant took responsibility, showed
genuine remorse and did not attempt to shift blame. He added: "I take comfort from that fact and believe it was genuine." Myers, of Priestclose Road, in Prudhoe, Northumberland,
received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. She was instructed to complete 20 rehabilitation days, adhere to a 120-day alcohol abstinence requirement and must fulfil 118
hours of unpaid work.