Woman 'used date-rape drug to rob men of money and clothes'

A woman stole clothes and thousands of pounds worth of property from two businessmen after knocking them out with the "date-rape" drug Rohypnol, a court heard yesterday.

Selina Hakki, 37, allegedly picked up the City workers at exclusive nightspots before tricking them into taking her back to their homes with the promise of sex. She then "slipped them a Mickey Finn" and stole items including watches and designer clothing as they lay drugged, it was claimed.

Her first alleged victim, banker Volker Vogler, said he had been celebrating his birthday on 1 May 2002, when he met the woman in the rooftop bar of London's Park Lane Hilton.

After allegedly being administered the drug he remembered nothing from the moment he collapsed until mid-morning the following day. "The lady had gone and I felt very dizzy. I could hardly walk. I almost fell over as I was going to the bathroom and I had to get support on the walls ... With a hangover you just feel tired. But this was different. I was out of control," Mr Vogler told Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court.

Among the items missing were a £100 pair of black Versace jeans with £100 in the pocket, a Versace jumper, three pairs of shoes and an £850 Omega watch, he said. Miss Hakki is also accused of stealing a £250 Tiffany alarm clock and a bottle of red wine. Mr Vogler, 38, described how he first spotted Miss Hakki on her own at the end of the bar. "She suggested we should go to my place and have a drink. She also asked me if I had Champagne at home. I said 'No, red wine', she said that was fine," Mr Vogler told the court.

At his Knightsbridge flat, he poured two glasses of wine before visiting the bathroom. "I then sat next to her on the sofa. And we toasted. I remember she said 'Why don't you drink more, why don't you finish it up? ... She was drinking just a little. I didn't notice any unusual taste," he said.

By this time, he claimed, she had removed some of her clothes and suggested he go to the bedroom. "I remember I got up, walked to the bedroom and that is the last thing I recall."

Miss Hakki is also accused of drugging Alexander Jovy, who she met at a club in St James's Street in September last year. Richard Milne, for the prosecution, said Mr Jovy recalled her asking for red wine and pouring out two glasses back at his Notting Hill flat. After visiting the bathroom, he went into the bedroom where he remembers his top being taken off by her before passing out.

"The next thing he recalls is waking up the following morning confused," said Mr Milne. A Rolex watch was missing, along with a Cartier clock, video camera, a bottle of champagne and some aftershave.

Cigarette butts at each of the men's flats covered in Ms Hakki's DNA and traces of the date-rape drug from one wine glass at Mr Jovy's flat were recovered, it was claimed.

Mr Milne described Rohypnol as a "very potent, rarely prescribed" sedative for extremely severe insomnia. Manufacturers had added a very intense blue dye to make it more visible and to stop it being misused. In large doses, it causes unconsciousness for hours at a time.

Ms Hakki, of Bow, east London, denies two counts of administering the drug.

The case continues.