Man jailed for date drug attempt

Spall's victim was said to be very upset at the sentence given

A businessman has been jailed for two years for trying to drug his dinner date in a restaurant in south London.

Property developer Rohail Spall, 39, from Ilford, Essex, was sentenced for administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual act.

He was caught in June last year when the head waiter saw Spall putting a pill in the red wine of his companion while she was in the toilet.

Prosecutors are considering appealing against the "unduly lenient" sentence.

Officers searched his pockets and found a blister pack of Xanax, similar to the so-called date-rape drug Rohypnol. Only one tablet was left.

You said to the waiter at one point you wanted him to provide her with something to knock her out Judge Colin Smith Date drug victim blasts sentence

But they later discovered hundreds more in the boot of his chauffeur-driven Mercedes.

Father-of-four Spall denied any wrongdoing and argued the pills were for personal use, Inner London Crown Court was told.

Judge Colin Smith told him: "On arrival at the restaurant you informed the waiter, Mr Murphy, in no uncertain terms that you intended to have sexual intercourse with the victim.

"When you were having a meal you continued to press drink upon her and indeed said to the waiter at one point you wanted him to provide her with something to knock her out."

'Really upset'

But Judge Smith said Spall was "unscrupulous" and "underhand" but he was not convinced he posed "any significant risk to young women of serious harm".

The judge said Spall's behaviour was caused by his own "drunken state" and was "totally out of character".

He ordered that Spall be banned from possessing any form of sedative that is prescribed or not - namely Xanax - for life.

The two-year sentence means Spall, who police fear may be a serial sexual predator, will be free in just over three months, once time he has already spent in custody is taken into account.

After the case, Spall's victim said: "I think he should have got longer. If I had drunk that drink I would have been raped."

Det Con Arran Barnes said: "Whilst I am surprised at today's sentence I must respect the decision of the court."

The Crown Prosecution Service said they are "actively considering" appealing the sentence as "unduly lenient."

The maximum sentence for administering a substance with intent is 10 years.

In these cases the Attorney General has final say on referral to the Court of Appeal.