Littleborough shop fined after selling alcohol to 15-year-old

A Littleborough retailer has been ordered to pay £1260 after he was caught selling alcohol to a 15- year-old girl.

Tamazer Ali (32), the former owner of the Lake Supermarket in Smithy Bridge Road, was found guilty of selling a bottle of original vodka blue to the girl during a test purchase exercise on 15 August last year.

He was fined £400 with £860 costs in his absence after he failed to turn up to the 5 July hearing at Bury Magistrates’ Court. The shop is now under new ownership.

The Council’s public protection team regularly use underage volunteers to ensure that retailers are not breaking the law and selling to children.

Councillor Terry Linden, Cabinet Member for Regulatory services at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The protection of the children of this borough is our number one priority and that is why we have a zero tolerance attitude towards retailers who fail in their basic duty of care.

“Not only does selling alcohol to minors cause them harm, it also harms communities because it generally leads to an increase in anti-social behaviour.”