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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 26 September 2008

‘Sting’ nets worker who sold beer to 15-year-old

Store keeps licence but faces checks after ‘error of judgment’

A SENIOR member of staff at a Barnsbury supermarket was caught selling drink to a 15-year-old in a “sting” operation to test how shops comply with laws preventing children buying alcohol.
With 16 years’ experience, the Somerfield worker believed she could spot anyone under age trying to buy booze from her store in Caledonian Road.
But in July she sold a bottle of Becks beer to a 15-year-old schoolgirl who had volunteered to take part in a “sting” set up by plain-clothes police and Trading Standards officials from Islington Council.
At Monday’s licensing committee hearing at the Town Hall the store admitted breaking the law and faced losing its drinks licence. It claimed to have a “beautiful system” for catching out under-age drinkers,
Solicitor John Walgrove, for Somerfield, said the woman who had sold the bottle of beer was one of the store’s most experienced workers. She trained other staff on the law relating to age-related products. CCTV pictures had shown her carefully scrutinising the face of the customer.
He argued it was an “error of judgment” on the part of the worker, who had previously refused to sell products to people who looked under age 27 times between December last year and July this year.
The worker, who received a fixed penalty fine of £80 from police, said she thought it unfair that Trading Standards had used someone who looked so much older than her actual age.
Labour councillor Barry Edwards said he had some sympathy with the shop worker. “I have two daughters and I know how difficult it can be when they try and appear older than they are,” he added.
The committee heard that the same 15-year-old girl used in the operation had convinced workers at other outlets on three separate occasions that she was old enough to purchase drink.
Lib Dem committee chairman Councillor George Allan said it would be unfair to remove the store’s licence on the basis of the error, but it should be monitored to ensure that all staff are obeying the law.
Somerfield is now introducing nationwide a new scheme for improving the detection of under-age drinkers. Under its Challenge 25 system, staff can demand photographic identification from anyone who looks under 25, rather than 21.

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