License owners in Swansea who were caught selling alcohol to young people under 18 have been fined by local magistrates.
Devinder Kaur Padda from Jack’s Supermarket in Townhill pleaded guilty to two sales of alcohol to people under 18 and was fined £175 and charged a further £85 in costs and £15 in surcharges.
Robert Bruce Arbourne and Matthew Arbourne of Jefferies Stores in the city also pleaded guilty to the sale of alcohol to a person under 18 and were each fined £175, £50 costs and a £15 surcharge.
A further seven shops have been issued with warning letters after they were also caught out in recent test purchase operations.
The test purchase exercises involve Council Trading Standards and local police, who arrange for individuals under 18 to attempt to purchase alcohol from licensed shops.
Martin Saville, Head of Environmental Health Services in Swansea Council, said, “We are aware of the amount of disruption that the misuse of alcohol causes within local communities and we will make retailers who are negligent in supplying drinks to minors responsible for their actions.”
During the last 12 months 126 test purchases have been undertaken during 10 different exercises. Thirty sales have been made resulting in a variety of different enforcement actions including the issue of fixed penalty notices to staff responsible for the sales and warnings, cautions or prosecution of the business where the sale was made.
Licensed premises are also being subjected to a licence review when it becomes evident that the business is not being managed effectively.
Mr Saville added, “Recent changes in the law mean that if two illegal sales are made within three months then magistrates can be asked to suspend the licence for a period up to 48 hours preventing alcohol being sold from that premises.
“We fully intend to use this power to improve the manner in which premises selling alcohol are managed.”
Dean Evans, Community Safety Department at South Wales Police, said, “South Wales Police will not tolerate breaches of the licensing laws and continue to work in partnership with Trading Standards to prosecute offenders.”
Shops to receive either warning letters or a caution are:
- Sherries, Penderry Road, Penlan – warning letter
- Penlan Stores – warning letter
- Drinks Express, Careithin, Swansea – simple caution
- Shiryia Stores, 87 Pontardulais Road, Gorseinon – warning letter
- Llangyfelach Stores, Swansea Road – warning letter
- SunnnybanK mini market, Lone Road, Clydach – warning letter
- Bev’s shop, Bethania Road, Clydach – warning letter
