A SHOP owner in Stratford who sold alcohol to under 18s has been prosecuted.
Harvinder Singh Sohal who runs Hathaway Green Stores in Alcester Road sold four cans of Thatchers Gold Cider to two under 18’s in March.
The young people had been asked by Warwickshire Trading Standards to attempt to purchase alcohol from the shop, following complaints that the store was selling age-restricted products to children.
Warwickshire County Council’s community safety spokesman Coun Andy Crump said: “We know that alcohol can be harmful to a child’s health. It can affect the development of their vital organs and functions and cause them alcohol-related injuries as well as lead them to participate in risky behaviour.
“Warwickshire Trading Standards is determined to crack down on the sale of alcohol and other age restricted products to children and are working with the police and others to do this. Most retailers take their responsibilities very seriously and operate Challenge 25 and other schemes to prevent underage sales. However, a minority of retailers are still selling to children and it is these that we are targeting.”
Warwickshire Trading Standards, with the support of Warwickshire Police, use intelligence to target retailers who are believed to be selling alcohol to children and ask child volunteers to attempt to purchase alcohol from them.
In 2022 Trading Standards child volunteers attempted to purchase alcohol from 60 premises across the county and 15 sales were made.
Those caught selling alcohol to children could be prosecuted and have their licence to sell alcohol taken away.
At Coventry Magistrates Court on Wednesday December 7 Mr Sohal pleaded guilty to one offence under the Licensing Act 2003 and was fined £400, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1020.54 and a victim surcharge of £40.
As well as being the seller, the 48-year-old from Sutton Coldfield, is one of the Directors of A & G Drinks Limited that own and operate Hathaway Green Stores and is currently the Premise Licence Holder and Designated Premises Supervisor.
In mitigation, Mr Lone representing Mr Sohal stated that his client had pleaded guilty and had simply ‘taken his eye off the ball’ and he was tired due to long work hours.
