Rap for traders caught selling booze to under-age kids

A POLICE operation left two business owners red-faced after they were caught selling alcohol to underage customers.

Officers from Rotherham Safer Neighbourhood Services said they had undertaken test purchases at nine businesses to catch any selling liquor to teenagers under the legal age.

They targeted off-licence and on-licence premises in the Rotherham North and South areas, police said.

RSNS said two volunteers aged 15 and 17 had managed to buy alcohol from two of the nine retailers, which had led to both premise owners receiving fines and being ordered to take part in follow-up work with a licensing officer.

PC Karen Nuttall, from Rotherham Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “Test purchasing operations like this are incredibly important as we have a duty to keep people safe and ensure that alcohol does not fall into the hands of underage people.

“It is a criminal offence to sell alcohol to children under the age of 18 and this operation is a stark reminder to businesses and their staff that they need to take the sale of all age-restricted products seriously otherwise they could find themselves being prosecuted.

“If you’re selling alcohol, always check a young person’s ID and if in doubt, don’t sell.”