Assaulted police after her drink was spiked with date rape drug

Eireann Kerr (32), of Marlborough Park South, Belfast, was convicted of disorderly behaviour, and assaulting and resisting police after a Christmas night out in 2013, but claimed her drink had been spiked and she knew nothing of her actions.

The District Judge was told Kerr had been taken to the police station by a taxi driver in the early hours of the morning.

There it was alleged the defendant bit a female officer on the finger, kicked a male officer and referred to the police as “peasants”.

Giving evidence on her own behalf, Kerr admitted consuming alcohol but said she had no memory after a certain point in the night.

She said she is an affable drunk and had never acted in this way in the past.

Kerr also said she still does not know if she was sexually assaulted on this night.

The doctor wept as she said the next thing she remembered was waking up in a 
police cell covered in bruises, without any of her 
belongings.

It was accepted by the court that the trainee anaesthetist’s drink had been spiked with the date rape drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, better known as GHB.

An expert report, agreed by both the prosecution and defence, showed she had the drug in her system when the offence was committed.

District Judge Peter King accepted that the drug was administered by a third party for what he called “nefarious motives”.

However, he said involuntary intoxication was not a defence in the law and he had to convict Kerr.

“Any sanction that falls against you will be much more heavily felt outside this court,” he said.

Eoghan Devlin, defending, said Kerr was morally blameless and of good character and was the victim of a date rape drug. He said her career might be encumbered or could end completely through the actions of a third party who spiked her drink.

Judge King imposed a conditional discharge for two months.

Outside the court, defence solicitor Derwin Harvey read a short statement on behalf of Ms Kerr, saying she was “obviously upset she has been convicted. However, she is pleased that she has been vindicated as she has stated from the outset she was the victim of a more sinister crime.

“The court has stated as a fact she was the victim of the administration of a date rape drug and her actions were as a result of being spiked.

“She hopes this highlights the risks of date rape type drugs to the women of this city”.