THE OWNER of a Redditch off-licence has been prosecuted for selling alcohol to a 14-year-old girl.
In June 2009, as part of a routine exercise, officers from Worcestershire Trading Standards Service visited the premises of Costcutter in the Woodrow Centre.

Under supervised conditions, the girl, who had volunteered to take part in the exercise, selected and successfully purchased a bottle of cider.
She was served by the owner and licensee of the business who did not ask her age or for identification.

And on February 10 at Redditch Magistrates Court, Javed Iqbal, 41, of Malmesbury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, failed to attend the court hearing and was convicted in his absence for one offence under the Licensing Act 2003. He was ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £742 within 28 days.

Worcestershire County Council's Trading Standards divisional manager, John Dell, said: "It is always disappointing when our volunteers manage to purchase alcohol. As the proprietor of the business we would have expected Mr Iqbal to have been extra diligent, but sadly this was not the case.
"We shall continue to work with the licensed trade in order to eliminate under-age sales of alcohol in Worcestershire and any business which wants advice or training should contact our business line."

For more information on Worcestershire Trading Standards visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/tradingstandards or call the business line on 08453 303313.

redditchstandard.co.uk