Man who spiked wine jailed despite being 'no great risk to women'

Shackley · 3 Mar 2007 at 10:41

Now here is a really excellent tale of British justice, guaranteed to deepen your admiration for the profound wisdom of judges.

A property developer who spiked a woman's red wine with a powerful sedative in an attempt to have sex with her was jailed for two years yesterday, despite the judge saying he did not pose a great risk to women.

So far, so good.

The jury at Inner London crown court heard that Rohail Spall, a father of four, slipped the drug into the woman's glass when she went to the toilet during a date at a restaurant in London. But Kevin Murphy, a waiter Spall had earlier ordered to keep the woman's glass topped up, saw what had happened and warned the woman, a 28-year-old banker, as she returned to the table.

Not so good . . .

After Mr Murphy told her what he had seen, the woman called the police and officers found a pack of Xanax - similar to the so-called date-rape drug Rohypnol - in his pocket. Only one tablet was left. When they examined the boot of the Mercedes they found hundreds more.

WHAT

The judge said the spiked drink had been a "deliberate attempt to weaken [the woman's] capacity to resist any sexual activity you might make towards her. "I have to regard your behaviour as a determined effort to get your way to some kind of sexual overture to the complainant by underhand means, irrespective of her wishes.

I am quite satisfied here, despite this behaviour on this evening, you did not pose any significant risk to any young woman of serious harm. Guardian Link

Buy that Judge a new Zimmer frame, a case of the finest Burgundy and a pack of Xanax - at once! :mad:

cleanbluesky · 3 Mar 2007 at 10:43

The judge is crooked

Will_3rd · 3 Mar 2007 at 10:46

wtf

the guy is obviously deranged, bang him up surely?

A.N.Other · 3 Mar 2007 at 10:49

I would hope there is something more to this than is being reported. Otherwise, I just can't understand that outcome.

:confused:

BrightonBelle · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:01

Bang the judge up aswell. This is terrible.

Its a horrible thing to happen to anyone, the girl was very lucky.

BB x

[TW]Fox · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:05

I dont understand the problem. He was jailed, what more do you want?

Slinwagh · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:07

Slightly OT but a judge this week was charged with 2 counts of exposure.

Kesnel · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:07

At rather humorous side note to this is that the list of possible side effects of Xanax includes "loss of interest in sex."

http://www.drugs.com/xanax.html

Sleepy · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:25

[TW]Fox said:
I dont understand the problem. He was jailed, what more do you want?

Cos the judge said "I am quite satisfied here, despite this behaviour on this evening, you did not pose any significant risk to any young woman of serious harm." I think everyone is amazed and upset at that description of attempted rape.

pyro · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:36

When did benzos become date rape drugs? I am in not, in any way saying he shouldn't get what was coming to him, because he did spiked someone's drink without their knowledge, but it's the first time I hear xanax being used for date rape.

[TW]Fox · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:41

Sleepy said:
Cos the judge said "I am quite satisfied here, despite this behaviour on this evening, you did not pose any significant risk to any young woman of serious harm." I think everyone is amazed and upset at that description of attempted rape.

Who cares what he said? The guy got jailed and yea, he didn't pose a risk of serious harm. He didn't plan to maim or murder anyone and I would imagine the Judge felt it was highly likely it was just that particular woman he was after not any old girl.

Either way its irrelevant what he said, as he's gone to jail, but hey dont let me stop the armchair juries banging on about a case they know nothing about beyond what the media has reported.

starscream · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:43

pyro said:
When did benzos become date rape drugs? I am in any way saying he shouldn't get what was coming to him, because he did spiked someone's drink without their knowledge, but it's the first time I hear xanax being used for date rape.

That occured to me also. I can only assume his motive was to lower her inhibitions rather knock her out and cause amnesia which is generally the motive of using Rohypnol.

starscream · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:45

[TW]Fox said:
Who cares what he said?

Victums of similar cases he tries in future?

cleanbluesky · 3 Mar 2007 at 11:54

starscream said:
Victums of similar cases he tries in future?

lol

El Gringo · 3 Mar 2007 at 14:17

Maybe the judge sat through the entire trial and hasn't just been linked to the story :dunno:
He might know far more than we do, and that sentence can be looked at in various ways.

Smiley Man · 3 Mar 2007 at 14:27

pyro said:
When did benzos become date rape drugs? I am in not, in any way saying he shouldn't get what was coming to him, because he did spiked someone's drink without their knowledge, but it's the first time I hear xanax being used for date rape.

they can knock you out in higher doses, that plus the amnesia = ideal date rap drug

any benzo can knock someone unconcious without risk of killing them, heck 30mg of valium could have probably done the same

rohypnol - the common date rape drug is a benzo too

Nash · 3 Mar 2007 at 15:34

Xanax = alprazolam
Rohypnol = flunitrazepam

Both benzodiazepines so they're are sedative hypnotics. They'll cause amnesia and unconsciousness in high enough doses and especially when mixed with alcohol.

Trying to dissolve a Xanax pill in a drink is a bit silly though, they're not very water soluble so it'd have to dissolve in the relatively small amount of ethanol in the wine and I doubt the binders and fillers would dissolve fully either.

Drug noob!

joeyjojo · 3 Mar 2007 at 15:41

Kesnel said:
At rather humorous side note to this is that the list of possible side effects of Xanax includes "loss of interest in sex."

http://www.drugs.com/xanax.html

lol

i know nothing · 3 Mar 2007 at 15:44

I don't see a problem with it. He got two years for spiking a drink which the woman didn't drink, he didn't get two years for spiking a drink and then raping a woman.

It's a bit like those who get nicked before they commit a murder, they get away with 8 years or so, had they have committed the murder they would have been facing life.

VIRII · 3 Mar 2007 at 16:05

I'd have been happy to see the chap get 100 years personally but there we go.
If I understand this correctly he put the drug in the drink in order to lower her inhibitions.
He has been jailed for his intentions or suspected intentions.
If I tried to get a female drunk (no hidden drugs just alcohol) with the hope that it would make her more up for sex would I have committed a crime? Is it a crime to encourage someone to get drunk with the hope of having sex with them?
Obviously there are differences (she did not consent to the drug) but isn't the end effect similar?

Man who spiked wine jailed despite being 'no great risk to women'

Woman of Honour