Sales assistant hit with fine after selling alcohol to youngsters (From Sutton Guardian)

Wallington shop only one to fail police test purchase

3:10pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News By James Pepper

Police fined a sales assistant after they sold alcohol to an under age customer in a sting operation. . .

Launched to coincide with Halloween, officers visited a total of 21 convenience stores across the borough and found that all but one rightly refused to sell alcohol to an under age customer.

Best-One, on Stafford Road, Wallington, failed the test purchase and a sales assistant received an £80 penalty notice.

Police licensing Sergeant John Withersby said: "Any failure of a test purchase is viewed seriously and such failures will be used as evidence if a review of the premises licence was deemed necessary."

Test purchasing is undertaken by Sutton Police Cadets, who are acting under the supervision of plain clothes police and Sutton Council Enforcement Officers.

All the licensed premises in the borough were contacted during November 2011 and told that in future premises that made illegal sales would be disclosed to the public via the local media.

The purpose of these operations is to check that licensed premises are complying with legislation relating to the sale of various age restricted goods and undertaking to promote Challenge 25 - where sales staff are required to challenge customers who look under 25 to provide photo ID to prove they are aged over 18.

Sergeant Withersby said: "These operations are all about licensed premises complying with the law, upholding the conditions of their licence and realising their wider responsibilities towards local communities."