A MAN working in his father's shop claimed he had a stash of illegal cigarettes because he didn't want his dad to know he smoked.

Blackburn magistrates heard that 11 months after that visit by trading standards investigators another visit confirmed dodgy smokes were still being sold from the Mace convenience store on Edleston Street, Accrington.

Mohammed Asif Nawaz, 34, of Edleston Street, pleaded guilty to three charges of selling tobacco products which breached packaging requirements. He was fined £180 with £420 costs and £32 victim surcharge.

The court was told his father, Mohammed Nawaz, 53, of the same address, who faced the same three charges, was shielding as a result of the covid19 pandemic. The allegations against him were adjourned until September 8.

Amanda Maxim, prosecuting, said during the first inspection in January 2019 trading standards officers found a bin bag containing 36 packets of cigarettes which did not comply with packaging regulations.

"The defendant said they were for his own use and he kept them in the shop because he didn't want his dad to know that he smoked," said Mrs Maxim. "Officers carried out another visit in December to determine whether illegal products were still being sold. They found 73 packs of cigarettes and 10 packs of hand rolling tobacco which were non-compliant in a bag hanging on a coat hook."

Mrs Maxim said the sale of illicit smoking products undermined strategies to deter smoking and made it impossible for legitimate traders to compete. She said \Nawaz had a previous conviction from 2016 when he had 128 packets of illegal cigarettes.

Nawaz, who was not represented, told the court he ran the shop for his father and was paid £158 a week. He said he worked to support his seven children.

He told the magistrates he had stopped selling illegal cigarettes and tobacco and said they would not see him again.