A Bracknell Spar store and its director were fined after a 15-year-old volunteer was able to buy alcohol there in March last year. At Reading Magistrate’s Court last week, the company and Mr Molotr Singh each received a £346 fine after pleading guilty.
Reading Magistrate’s Court
Mr Singh, the director of J M S FOOD & WINE LTD trading as Spar at 6 Crown Row, Bracknell, pleaded guilty to breaching section 146 of the Licensing Act 2003 by selling an age-restricted product to a minor. The company and its director were also ordered to pay £500 toward prosecution costs, and Mr Singh received a £148 victim’s surcharge.
In March last year, the volunteer visited the store with Public Protection Partnership officers and chose a single can of Smirnoff Vodka and Cranberry. The sales assistant did not ask for ID, did not ask the volunteer’s age and made no other attempt to verify the young person’s age before the sale went through.
Bracknell Forest Council
Bracknell Forest Council’s Trading Standards officers and the Public Protection Partnership’s Case Management Unit brought the prosecution last week. Cllr Iskandar Jefferies said: “This prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the sale of age-restricted products to children in Bracknell Forest.”
He added: “Protecting young people from harm is a priority, and retailers have a legal duty to ensure robust age-verification checks are in place.” He also said: “We urge all businesses to make sure their staff are properly trained and confident to ask for ID every time it’s needed.”
Responsible Retailer Scheme
The case comes as Bracknell Forest stores are being urged to comply with underage sales laws. The Public Protection Partnership said it will soon launch a Responsible Retailer Scheme to help businesses stay compliant, while Jefferies said: “Our Trading Standards team will continue to carry out checks and take enforcement action where necessary.”
He said: “We are launching our Responsible Retailer Scheme, which will help businesses stay compliant and support those who do the right thing.” For retailers, the message is direct: staff checks have to happen every time a restricted product reaches the till, because Trading Standards has said it will keep testing compliance and act when it finds failures.
