A Newbridge pub owner has been fined £400 for selling alcohol to two underage girls.
Kim Walker, who owns the Newbridge Hotel, High Street, Newbridge, was prosecuted after the sale of two bottles of WKD Blue vodka drink to two girls carrying out a test purchase for Trading Standards. The volunteers, aged 14 and 15, carried out the test purchase in February 2012.
Walker’s case was proven in his absence at Abergavenny Magistrates’ Court on Monday October 1. He was found guilty of the offence and ordered to pay a fine of £400, together with £482.02 prosecution costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
The manager of the premises who sold the alcohol to the test purchase volunteers was issued with an £80 fine at the time.
Speaking after the case, Cllr Dave Poole, cabinet member for community and leisure services, said: “While the majority of local licence holders take their licensing responsibilities seriously, the fact remains that a small minority continue to flout the law and allow alcohol to get into the hands of our young people – we cannot and will not tolerate this and we will pursue these cases through the courts as in this instance.”
“Almost £900 and a tarnished reputation is a high price to pay for something which could so easily have been avoided had Mr Walker complied with the law.”