Trader persistently selling alcohol to underage young people prosecuted by Suffolk County Council’s Trading Standards team
Monday, 5th October 2015.
Suffolk County Council's Trading Standards team is continuing its fight against underage alcohol sales with the successful prosecution of Kalaivani Kathirithamby.
Mr Kathirithamby, the Premises Licence Holder and Director of KVS Food and Wine Ltd was fined a total £803 and had his personal licence revoked after pleading guilty to selling alcohol to underage children under Section 147A of the Licensing Act 2003.
In July 2014 Suffolk Trading Standards received intelligence of alcohol sales to minors from KVS Food and Wine Ltd located on Bramford Road, Ipswich. In response to this Suffolk Trading Standards and Suffolk Police carried out an underage alcohol test purchase operation in October 2014 using volunteers under the age of 18. Alcohol was sold to both volunteers by Mahesbabu Kanapathipilla; the seller was issued with a £90 Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND).
Following this Mr Kathirithamby was interviewed and sent a written warning. A further underage alcohol test purchase was carried out in December 2014 where a sale of alcohol was made personally by Mrs Kathirithamby.
This is a 'persistently selling alcohol' offence under the Licensing Act where there are two sales of alcohol within a three month period to persons under the age of 18 and as such the premises licence holder can be prosecuted.
On 16 March 2015, a Licence review brought jointly by Suffolk Police and Trading Standards resulted in revocation of the premises licence. Underage sales test purchase operations take place across Suffolk targeting a variety of premises such as supermarkets, off licences, pubs, bars, and clubs. The work plays an important part in reducing anti-social behaviour and reduce the associated health risks which underage drinking has on young people.
Councillor Sarah Stamp, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for communities said: We are extremely determined to do all we can to eradicate alcohol related youth disorder and we will not tolerate retailers who sell alcohol illegally to children."
Should people have intelligence regarding underage sales of alcohol or tobacco they can report these anonymously to Trading Standards by Tel: 03454 04 05 06 or email: tradingstandards@suffolk.gov.uk.
Mr Kathirithamby, the Premises Licence Holder and Director of KVS Food and Wine Ltd was fined a total £803 and had his personal licence revoked after pleading guilty to selling alcohol to underage children under Section 147A of the Licensing Act 2003.
In July 2014 Suffolk Trading Standards received intelligence of alcohol sales to minors from KVS Food and Wine Ltd located on Bramford Road, Ipswich. In response to this Suffolk Trading Standards and Suffolk Police carried out an underage alcohol test purchase operation in October 2014 using volunteers under the age of 18. Alcohol was sold to both volunteers by Mahesbabu Kanapathipilla; the seller was issued with a £90 Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND).
Following this Mr Kathirithamby was interviewed and sent a written warning. A further underage alcohol test purchase was carried out in December 2014 where a sale of alcohol was made personally by Mrs Kathirithamby.
This is a 'persistently selling alcohol' offence under the Licensing Act where there are two sales of alcohol within a three month period to persons under the age of 18 and as such the premises licence holder can be prosecuted.
On 16 March 2015, a Licence review brought jointly by Suffolk Police and Trading Standards resulted in revocation of the premises licence. Underage sales test purchase operations take place across Suffolk targeting a variety of premises such as supermarkets, off licences, pubs, bars, and clubs. The work plays an important part in reducing anti-social behaviour and reduce the associated health risks which underage drinking has on young people.
Councillor Sarah Stamp, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for communities said: We are extremely determined to do all we can to eradicate alcohol related youth disorder and we will not tolerate retailers who sell alcohol illegally to children."
Should people have intelligence regarding underage sales of alcohol or tobacco they can report these anonymously to Trading Standards by Tel: 03454 04 05 06 or email: tradingstandards@suffolk.gov.uk.
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