POLICE and trading standards chiefs on Teesside have issued a fresh warning to retailers that selling alcohol to under-age youngsters will not be tolerated.
They sent out the strong message in the wake of a court case, which saw another Hartlepool business fined for selling alcohol to a child.
Newsagent and licensee Karen Haggan was fined £100 and ordered to pay £400 costs after selling a bottle of wine to a 13-year-old schoolgirl, who entered the store as part of an undercover operation earlier this year.
The joint crackdown, by trading standards and police in the town, has so far netted three businesses, but officers vow that more will follow unless retailers abide by the law.
Hartlepool Borough Council trading standards officer Neil Harrison has urged stores to be more diligent. He said: "Hartlepool residents are fed up of having to put up with anti-social behaviour and alcohol contributes greatly to this.
"Alcohol sales to children, therefore, will not be tolerated."
Haggan, who runs Haggan's Newsagents on Brus Corner in the town, pleaded not guilty, at Hartlepool Magistrates Court to the offence of selling alcohol to a person under the age of 18. The 13-year-old volunteer was witnessed buying a bottle of Lambrini from a store assistant without being asked to show identification.
Haggan denied the charge, claiming that her training provisions and safeguards were an adequate defence.
However, the court found her guilty of the offence.
Mr Harrison said: "Mrs Haggan, as the licensee and owner of the store, is responsible for what goes on and cannot escape liability because she was on holiday at the time of the sale.
"Insufficient measures were in place to prevent the sale occurring and coupled with the seriousness of the offence, prosecution was seen as the appropriate course of action.
"This is the third prosecution by the council this year.
"Four further stores are also under investigation.
"Stores need to start being much more vigilant."
Police anti-social behaviour officer, PC Shelley Watson, said: "I would hope that licensees will take notice of the results of this operation and understand that when people are found to be breaking the law, they will be prosecuted."
Haggan was found not guilty of allowing an underage assistant to sell alcohol to the volunteer, at the court hearing last week.
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