Shop’s knife sale to 14-year-old brings court action and fine
Action from Islington Council’s trading standards team has brought a penalty and costs of almost £1,000 for a company whose Newington Green shop sold a knife to a 14-year-old.
The teenage girl bought the knife at Newington Green Pound Plus, Newington Green Road, N1 4QX, on February 14 2018, as part of a trading standards test purchase exercise.
On Thursday September 13, at Highbury Magistrates’ Court, Newington Green Pound & Plus Ltd – the company that runs the shop – pleaded guilty to selling a knife to a 14-year-old contrary to s141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
Magistrates fined the company £450, with a £45 victim surcharge and £450 costs awarded to the council, and said it was a “serious offence” that could have brought a much higher fine had it not been for evidence of the financial means of the shop.
They also criticised the company for not putting in place more measures to deter future underage sales following the sale in February.
Underage knife sales can have very serious consequences. In 2014, a 17-year-old was illegally sold a knife in a shop in Goswell Road, Islington, and used it minutes later to stab a man seven times. The shopkeeper in that case was successfully prosecuted by Islington Council for the sale.
Cllr Andy Hull, Islington Council’s executive member for community safety, said: “The terrible effects of knife crime are seen too often in our city, and it’s completely unacceptable for any business to sell a knife to under-18s.
“We’re pleased that magistrates found this was a serious offence, but are disappointed at the level of the fine, which seems lenient given the seriousness of the offence, especially as we have seen in Islington how an underage knife sale can have terrible consequences.
“Most businesses in Islington behave responsibly, but we will continue to crack down on those who break the law on underage sales.”
Islington Council Trading Standards runs free courses for businesses in Islington on selling age restricted products responsibly. To find out more, you can contact Islington Trading Standards on 0207 527 4028 or by email at trading.standards@islington.gov.uk
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