Bracknell shopkeeper convicted for selling cigarettes to 16 year old
Mr Sunil Suny, of Salt Hill Way, Slough, was convicted at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 15th July 2022 after being found guilty of the offence.
Mr Suny, as the seller and company director was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, £100 victims’ surcharge and £396.50 towards prosecution costs.
The prosecution followed an operation by officers from the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) supported by the Joint Case Management Unit.
On 27th October 2021, a volunteer aged 16 with PPP officers entered Star Supermarket at 32 Reeds Hill, Bracknell, RG12 7LS. The volunteer picked up a can of drink, went to the counter and asked for 20 Mayfair cigarettes. A middle aged gentleman, later identified as Mr Suny, was serving and without question handed over the cigarettes and took the money for both purchases.
Commenting on the case Cllr John Harrison, Executive Councillor for Culture, Delivery and Public Protection and Vice Chairman of the Joint Public Protection Committee, said “Cigarettes present a proven risk to health. Adults are expected to be able to judge that risk for themselves but children are not. Parliament has decided that the age where people are considered mature enough to make that choice is 18 and retailers who sell tobacco to under 18 year-olds are breaking the law and will be prosecuted. I urge any retailers who stock cigarettes to make sure they have robust systems in place to make sure that anyone who tries to buy cigarettes and appears to be under 25 is asked to prove they are over 18.”
PPP officers routinely checks supermarkets, shops and off licenses for compliance with legislation. In this case, they were checking for sale of tobacco to a person under the age of 18, but they will also check for sales of alcohol, blades, fireworks, and other age restricted products as well as food inspections, counterfeit goods and measurements.
If you have concerns about an underage sale or any trading related crime in Bracknell Forest, West Berkshire or Wokingham, contact the PPP’s trading standards service on 01635 519930 or e-mail tsadvice@westberks.gov.uk
