AN American undergraduate has been left partially blind after his drink was spiked before a St Andrews University ball.
Robert Forbes, 19, who is from Virginia, was among a group of party-goers who drank from a bottle of wine laced with anti-freeze before going to the New Hall Ball.
Friends said the first year student consumed the largest quantity of the alcohol with anti-freeze, which even in small doses can damage the optic nerve and cause blindness.
Fife police have confirmed that they are investigating a case of culpable and reckless conduct following the ball at the St Andrews Bay Hotel, south of the town.
It is understood Mr Forbes is being treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where doctors are trying to restore his sight.
His friends said police officers were called to the ball after he realised his drink may have been tampered with.
Mr Forbes, studying international relations as part of a four-year degree course, had reportedly shared a bottle of red wine with friends in the university halls before the event but is believed to have drunk more of it than the others. Friends said he began feeling the effects shortly after arriving at the ball but was not taken to St Andrews Community Hospital until next day when his condition became more severe.
One of Mr Forbes’ friends, who asked not to be identified, told a newspaper yesterday: “Robert and a few of his friends were worse for wear after having a glass of wine or so, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.
“From what I’ve heard he began having problems with his vision at the ball.
“Over the next couple of days it emerged that Robert was in hospital and almost completely blind.
“His vision was blurring, he was exceptionally ill and very sick. He was originally almost entirely blind.
“He could only read an inch in front of his face. No-one else had anything like the same effects. I think Robert had more of the wine than they did.”
Mr Forbes was transferred from the community hospital to a larger city hospital where he stayed for several days before his parents travelled to Scotland to help him return home.
Another student who was at the ball said: “Everyone is really surprised. St Andrews is such a close-knit community of students so when something like this happens everyone at least knows people who know the guy.
“Everyone is quite well-behaved so when something like that happens you just can’t believe it. Students can be stupid, it could have been a prank, but everyone knows you don’t put antifreeze in someone’s drink.”
Students at the event were interviewed but no-one has yet been charged and the university said it is assisting police with their enquiries.
Antifreeze is made up of different chemicals, including ethylene glycol and methanol. They have a sweet taste, making them easy to hide in drinks.
Just 10 millilitres of methanol can damage the optic nerve causing vision loss, and 30 millilitres can be fatal.
Mr Forbes graduated from the independent boarding school Mercersburg Academy, in Pennsylvania, last year. He then moved to Scotland to study.
It is understood he has spoken to lawyers in the US about the incident.
His family said they had been instructed not to comment by their legal advisers.
A St Andrews University spokeswoman said: “The university is assisting police with an investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
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