Retail traders selling alcohol to minors be alert. A local shopkeeper was fined 500 pounds by Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Thursday 24 August after Merton Council’s trading standards team caught him selling an alcopop worth 1 pound 49 pence to a 14 year old boy.

In February this year the council’s trading standards team visited several traders in the borough with a 14 year old boy to check if they were following the law by refusing to serve underage teenagers alcohol. The exercise was carried out after they received complaints about some local shops.

Mr Parameswaran of Always Ltd, The Broadway, Wimbledon, was prosecuted after pleading guilty of selling the 14 year old a bottle of Smirnoff Ice. He didn’t ask the child any questions and failed to ask for ID. The alcopop has an alcoholic strength of 5 per cent by volume.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court fined him 500 pounds and ordered him to pay a contribution of 300 pounds towards the prosecutions costs.

Councillor Russell Makin, Merton Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: ‘This is a fantastic result and will set an example to anyone who sells alcohol to minors. Traders must be more aware of their consumers ages and if there is any doubt ask for ID.

‘Successful prosecutions like this will help us to tackle the problem of underage drinking in the borough and its associated problems.”

No action was taken against the premises owner as he had issued instruction to Mr Parameswaran about underage sales and had given him information to read on the subject.

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