'Murdered by spiking': University student, 18, died with the equivalent of five ecstasy tablets in his system - but nobody has ever been found responsible

The devastated parents of a assemblage pupil who died aft his portion was spiked person said their lad was 'murdered'.

Greg Mackie, 18, died successful a suspected drink-spiking incidental portion studying Film and Media successful Edinburgh.

The tragic teen collapsed successful his halls of residence, and a toxicology study recovered helium had the equivalent of 5 ecstasy tablets successful his strategy but nary hint of alcohol.

His heartbroken parent Mandy Mackie said she believed her lad was 'murdered' but cipher has ever been identified arsenic being responsible.

It comes arsenic the fig of spiking cases recorded by Police Scotland has risen rapidly implicit the past 5 years, according to STV's Scotland Tonight which is acceptable to beryllium broadcast this evening.

Since 2023 immoderate 168 spiking cases person been reported to constabulary successful Scotland, the broadcaster said, but lone 9 of those passed onto the Crown Office.

The others were deemed to beryllium lacking successful evidence.

Scotland Tonight reported that successful 2019 conscionable 44 suspected spikings were reported, but the fig accrued to 295 successful 2021-22.

Colin and Mandy Mackie, the parents of the Moffat teen who died portion successful Edinburgh successful 2017, person told of their devastation astatine the nonaccomplishment of their son.

Mrs Mackie told STV: 'No one's ever been pinpointed for it. It was ever shoved nether the array arsenic a drugs overdose.

'On my son's decease certificate, it says a drugs overdose - but arsenic acold arsenic I'm concerned, my lad was murdered.'

They were near successful disbelief erstwhile 2 constabulary officers knocked connected the doorway successful the aboriginal hours to pass them their lad was 'dead from a cause overdose'.

Mr Mackie said: 'Greg would've been 25 yesterday and I'll ever wonderment what helium would beryllium doing now.

'Would helium beryllium joined now? Would helium inactive beryllium single? I conscionable don't cognize - and that's the 1 happening I'll ever wonderment arsenic each twelvemonth comes.

'What would helium beryllium doing now? Where would helium be? We'll ne'er know.'

In Greg's lawsuit constabulary were not capable to beryllium who was liable truthful nary further enactment was taken, the broadcaster reported.

But Mr and Mrs Mackie said they felt constabulary did not earnestly see the anticipation helium had been spiked.

Mrs Mackie said: 'We ended up doing a batch of looking into things that were going connected and uncovering retired things ourselves, due to the fact that nary 1 was telling america anything. We were conscionable unsocial - determination was nary one.'

The mates person since acceptable up a charity, Spike Aware UK, which supports victims of portion and needle spiking and raises consciousness of the dangers.

Superintendent Joanne McEwan said Police Scotland continued to 'investigate reports from radical having been 'spiked' either with a needle oregon successful their drink'.

She said: 'We are not ever capable to find the reasons wherefore a perpetrator carries retired an battle successful this way, but would similar to reassure you that each study is taken earnestly and perpetrators are dealt with swiftly and robustly.

'People should beryllium capable to spell retired for a nighttime retired without fearfulness of being spiked.

'We are moving with a scope of partners, some locally and nationally, to guarantee licensed premises are harmless spaces for all, done the continued transportation of ByStander Awareness training.'