Fourteen shops and bars targeted in an underage drinking sting in Leicester agreed to sell alcohol to children.
They were among 56 premises visited by three teenagers – a boy aged 15 and two 16-year-old girls – in the Beaumont Leys, Hamilton, Welford Road and Hinckley Road areas on several days last week as part of the police operation.
Officers said today that while staff at 42 of the premises refused to sell alcohol to the youngsters, who were supervised by plain clothes officers, there were 14 businesses where staff were prepared to sell the young customers alcohol.
The staff at those premises - a quarter of the number visited - will be interviewed by police and could be issued with a fine of £80 or, if prosecuted in the magistrates' court, fined up to £5,000.
The operation was timed to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Week.
Pc Jon Webb, of city police's licensing unit, said: "Selling alcohol to any person under the age of 18 is a criminal offence and we hope this operation will serve as a reminder to all those selling alcohol to be proactive in asking for ID in the future.
"We would also like to ask customers who may look young to expect to be 'challenged' by staff to provide proof of age and assist them in selling alcohol legally and responsibly."
Police named the following premises as having failed the test: The Cherry Tree, East Bond Street; Sun on Church Gate; The Crumblin' Cookie, High Street; Revive and Vision, Braunstone Gate; Sandhu's Off Licence, Constance Road; The Off Licence, Knighton Fields Road East; Tesco Express, Ryder Road; Home Farm Supermarket, Home Farm Close; Qwik News, Home Farm Square; Co-Op, Thurmaston Lane; Tesco, Maidenwell Avenue; Belgrave Post Office and General Stores and Off Licence, Loughborough Road; Dhurga Mini Market, Melton Road and Thevi News, Brandon Street.
They were among 56 premises visited by three teenagers – a boy aged 15 and two 16-year-old girls – in the Beaumont Leys, Hamilton, Welford Road and Hinckley Road areas on several days last week as part of the police operation.
Officers said today that while staff at 42 of the premises refused to sell alcohol to the youngsters, who were supervised by plain clothes officers, there were 14 businesses where staff were prepared to sell the young customers alcohol.
The staff at those premises - a quarter of the number visited - will be interviewed by police and could be issued with a fine of £80 or, if prosecuted in the magistrates' court, fined up to £5,000.
The operation was timed to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Week.
Pc Jon Webb, of city police's licensing unit, said: "Selling alcohol to any person under the age of 18 is a criminal offence and we hope this operation will serve as a reminder to all those selling alcohol to be proactive in asking for ID in the future.
"We would also like to ask customers who may look young to expect to be 'challenged' by staff to provide proof of age and assist them in selling alcohol legally and responsibly."
Police named the following premises as having failed the test: The Cherry Tree, East Bond Street; Sun on Church Gate; The Crumblin' Cookie, High Street; Revive and Vision, Braunstone Gate; Sandhu's Off Licence, Constance Road; The Off Licence, Knighton Fields Road East; Tesco Express, Ryder Road; Home Farm Supermarket, Home Farm Close; Qwik News, Home Farm Square; Co-Op, Thurmaston Lane; Tesco, Maidenwell Avenue; Belgrave Post Office and General Stores and Off Licence, Loughborough Road; Dhurga Mini Market, Melton Road and Thevi News, Brandon Street.
