Heywood discount store fined for underage knife sale

The two knives sold to underage volunteers aged 16 yrs and 16 yrs 3 months

Superpound on Argyle Parade in Heywood has been fined £765 for selling a knife to a minor.

Mr Sujat Ali, owner of the discount store was prosecuted by Rochdale Borough Council at Rochdale Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 23 November 2010 and found guilty of selling a kitchen knife to two underage volunteers in February 2010, as part of a council routine undercover survey. The court felt that he did not provide adequate evidence to show that he had any procedure in place to prevent underage sales. Mr Ali has been order to pay back the fine and court costs at £100 per week.

Andy Glover, Public Protection Manager, at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Our test purchase exercises are crucial in helping us take action against retailers who sell knives irresponsibly and illegally. Our advice to retailers is that they should always ask to see photographic identification that proves the customer’s date of birth if they are unsure of the person’s age.”

Undercover test purchase exercises are carried out by underage volunteers as part of the enforcement of the above legislation. All operations of this nature are conducted in accordance with strict guidelines designed to protect the young volunteers whilst being fair at all times to the trader. When undertaking test purchases, unpaid volunteers must always tell the truth about their age, if asked. The volunteers were aged 16 yrs and 16 yrs 3 months.

It is an offence under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 to sell to a person under the age of 18 any knife, knife blade, razor blade or axe. This offence carries a maximum fine of £5000 or up to six months imprisonment.

Dale Mulgrew, cabinet member responsible for community safety at Rochdale Borough Council, added: “Retailers have an obligation to trade responsibly and should make every effort to prevent underage customers accessing age-restricted products like knives. For a shop to have no appropriate procedures in place is unacceptable. Thanks to our trading standards and legal teams we’re been able to punish this irresponsible trader.”