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Police in Leicester crackdown on underage drinking ahead of summer holidays

Posted on 30/06/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police Police in Leicester crackdown on underage drinking ahead of summer holidays

Police in Leicester are disappointed after five out of 22 off-licences and bars failed the most recent test purchase operation in the city. 

Officers, accompanied by a 15-year-old boy posing as a customer, visited off-licences and bars in Belgrave Road, Loughborough Road and Melton Road on Friday June 26. 

PC Jon Webb from the City Centre Violence and Disorder Team said: “This represents a 23 per cent failure rate, which is very disappointing. We really felt that we were making progress in relation to the sale of alcohol to under-18s following a three month campaign at the start of this year. In January the failure rate was around 25 per cent, but by the end of the campaign it had fallen to around 11 per cent which was very promising. 

“Since then we have carried out test purchases in the Beaumont Leys area in May, where there was a 100 per cent pass rate, and along Narborough Road on June 16 where just one out of 21 premises failed. Off the back of these excellent results, it is so disheartening to see the failure rate back up to 23 per cent. 

“What is even more upsetting is that in three of these cases, it was the licence holder for the premises who sold the alcohol to the 15-year-old. They have all received training and really should know better. 

“Clearly with the school summer holidays approaching, we will be stepping up our efforts to prevent the sale of alcohol to under-18s and reduce those incidents of anti-social behaviour which often result from underage drinking. More test purchase operations are planned in the city throughout the summer months and these will be carried out at all times of the day.” 

One of the five premises which sold alcohol to the underage youngster on Friday will now face a review of its licence by Leicester City’s Licensing Committee, as it is the second time it has failed a test purchase. In each case, the person who made the sale will be interviewed by officers and given an £80 fine. 

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.