10:00pm Wednesday 3rd March 2010
By Alex Willmott
A ROSSENDALE man who sold alcohol to children has applied for an off-licence supervisor status.
Police have urged the council’s licensing committee to refuse Sadiq Patel’s application to run an off-licence in Newchurch Road, Rawtenstall, after a series of fines and cautions relating to supplying booze to kids at the same premises.
The police have written a letter to the council warning them of Mr Patel’s track record behind the counter ahead of next week’s committee meeting.
In the letter, divisional licensing officer PC Mark Driver, said: “Mr Patel is responsible for three sales of alcohol to children from these premises during police test purchase operations.
"The first was on December 15 2008, when Mr Patel was given an £80 fixed penalty notice, he subsequently applied for and obtained a personal licence on April 23 2009.
“He failed a second time on November 18, 2009 for which he received a caution and on the third occasion, January 29, 2010 for which he has been reported.
“The police firmly believe that the above are exceptional circumstances such that granting the application would totally undermine the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objective.”
Mr Patel has never been the premises supervisor due to a clerical error in his original application to the police in 2008.
He said: “The job of the police is too easy. They send someone into the shop who looks a lot older than 18 so what am I supposed to do?
“The police should be doing their job to combat drunk children on the streets, and taking them home, instead of sending them into my shop.”
Police carry out test purchases at local off-licences to see if the staff carry out the correct procedure in identifying a child attempting to purchase alcohol.
The sale of alcohol to children is a criminal offence under section 146 of the Licensing act 2003 and carries the penalty on conviction of up to £5,000.
The licensing committee will meet at noon on Wednesday at the council chamber, Mill Suite, New Hall Hey, Rawtenstall.
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