A Blackwood tanning shop owner has been ordered to pay almost £3,000 by magistrates after he sold a 15-year-old a tanning session.
David Bryn Williams, of Blaenant Road, Nantyglo, Ebbw Vale, was convicted by Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court of two offences under the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 and eight offences under the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 (Wales) Regulations 2011.
He was ordered to pay a fine totalling £2,000, together with prosecution costs of £924.37 and a £60 victim surcharge.
Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court was told the teenager bought the tanning session at Tantastic in Blackwood’s High Street on November 29 last year as part of a test purchase operation by Caerphilly Council’s Trading Standards.
The case was proven in Williams’ absence on Thursday July 11.
Speaking after the case, Cllr David Poole, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services, said: “Selling age restricted items or services such as sunbed sessions to children is completely irresponsible, and is an issue which our enforcement teams are committed to tackling.
“Conducting test purchases continues to prove effective in bringing to book the small minority of traders who fail to take their responsibilities seriously by selling age restricted items and services to young people.
“It is pleasing that the court has emphasised the seriousness of the offences in this particular case by the size of the fine it has imposed.”
In April 2011, a law was introduced which banned under-18s from using sunbeds in England and Wales.