A DRINKS delivery company breached military security by passing bottles of beer and vodka through the perimeter fence of an Army barracks, it emerged yesterday.

A 19-year-old recruit was handed 30 bottles of beer and four bottles of vodka through the gap between a locked security gate and the gatepost at the infantry training centre (ITC), Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

The soldier had ordered the alcohol from Dial 4 Drink, based in Richmond, which could lose its licence after allegations that it breached conditions.

Colonel Nick Millen, garrison commander, told a licensing sub-committee hearing that he had banned the company from delivering to the ITC following the security breach.

"I am seriously concerned that a civilian organisation could pass objects through a gate to soldiers on the other side," he told the Richmondshire District Council sub-committee yesterday.

"It was a fundamental breach, of not just security, but of the company's agreement. Dial 4 Drink made what amounts to a covert delivery."

Col Millen said that he met licence holder Caroline Grundy, of Hipswell, Catterick Garrison, and her ex-soldier husband, Michael, who run the company, at their request after he banned his soldiers from ordering from the firm.

"I was not prepared to let the company continue to trade to ITC, but Mr Grundy would not comply and said that he would continue to trade," said Col Millen.

The commander conceded that this was the first serious breach by the company of which he was aware, but that it was "one shot and you're out" as far as security was concerned.

"I was uncompromising and I remain uncompromising," he said.

Mr and Mrs Grundy said they had been led to believe that they would be issued with a pass to allow their vehicle to make deliveries behind security gates, but Col Millen said that he would not have sanctioned such a document.

The sub-committee met after police requested that Dial 4 Drink's licence be reviewed following allegations that the company had sold alcohol to under-age customers, delivered to other than buyers' addresses and failed to secure a signature for every sale, all of which breached its licensing conditions.

At the four-hour hearing, Mr and Mrs Grundy admitted a "stupid" breach of the licence when Mr Grundy delivered to a regular customer who was a passenger in a car in the Tesco car park.

Tesco manager Matthew Miller said that the store imposed its own ban on alcohol sales between 11pm and 8am, despite having a 24-hour licence, in a bid to lessen drink-related trouble.

Mrs Grundy said that some delivery notes lacked signatures because she and her husband mistakenly thought that only customers challenged to produce proof of age had to sign.

They also denied selling drink to under-age customers, including revellers at an 18th birthday party who had spilled into the garden of the King William IV pub, Barton, near Richmond.

The panel has until next Thursday to issue its findings and impose any penalties, which could include revoking, suspending or withdrawing the licence.

Mrs Grundy said that revoking the licence would cause the small family business to fold.

In their deliberations, panel members must consider the authority's four licensing objectives - prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and protection of children.