Harlesden off-licence sold alcohol to underage schoolchild

Teen, 14, bought a can of Heineken lager at Cedar Liquor Store in Manor Park Road

A shopkeeper from Wembley has been fined after a schoolchild was illegally sold alcohol at his Harlesden off-licence.

Aloysius Bernard, 59, of Barn Rise, was the owner of Cedar Liquor Store in Manor Park Road, when the 14-year-old child was able to buy a can of Heineken lager.

Brent Magistrates’ Court heard the teenager, who was carrying out a sting on behalf of Brent and Harrow Trading Standards (BHTS) was not challenged about their age by the worker who served them.

It is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.

Bernard told the court he had been called abroad at short notice and had left the worker in charge.

However the employee had not received any training and he had a poor command of English so was unable to challenge underage customers.

Bernard admitted breaching the Licensing Act 2003 and was fined �175 and ordered to pay BHTS’s prosecution costs of �1,095.

Bill Bilon, head of BHTS, said, “Undercover operations such as this are intended to monitor local traders who sell alcohol and other age restricted goods.

“Our aim is to protect children from alcohol and all the complications its consumption brings in people so young.

“We will continue to carry out such operations and we have little sympathy with those traders who recklessly flout the law”.