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Off-licences in Leicester tested during half term school holidays

Posted on 28/05/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police Off-licences in Leicester tested during half term school holidays

A total of 48 off-licences have been visited by undercover police in Leicester as part of a crackdown on underage drinking during the half term school holidays.

Test purchases were carried out at shops in the city centre and Beaumont Leys area with the assistance of an underage youngster posing as a customer.

Eight premises in the city were tested on Friday May 22, with four failing by selling alcohol to the youngster. A further 20 shops in the city centre area were visited on Tuesday May 26 when just two failed. The checks moved to Beaumont Leys on Wednesday May 27 where 20 premises were visited – all refused to sell alcohol to the under 18. 

In each of the six cases where alcohol was sold to the underage customer, the shop assistant who made the sale was issued with an £80 fine.

PC Jon Webb from the City Centre Violence and Disorder Team said: “Of course it is disappointing that six of the 48 premises – just over 12 per cent – that were visited sold alcohol without questioning the young person’s age. 

“However at the start of this year the average failure rate was around 25 per cent so clearly this is an improvement. We did a lot of work in the first three months of this year to raise awareness among licensees of their legal and social responsibilities and to highlight the potential consequences of selling alcohol to under-18s, including the loss of their licence. Hopefully this work is now starting to pay off. 

“We will not be happy until all off-licences and bars in Leicester are using ‘Challenge 21’ principles and are asking young people to prove their age by providing identification. We will continue to carry out regular test purchase operations throughout the summer months to prevent the sale of alcohol to young people and associated anti-social behaviour.” 

Anyone with information about alcohol being sold to underage people should contact Leicestershire Constabulary on (0116) 222 2222 or alternatively call Crimestoppers which is free* and anonymous on 0800 555 111. 

*Some mobile phone service providers may charge for this call.