A Maesycwmmer pub landlord has been ordered to pay almost £1,400 after he was prosecuted for selling alcohol to a 15-year-old.
Michael Bishop, 47, who runs the Angel Inn, was taken to court after Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards team carried out a test purchase at the premises, with two 15-year-old volunteers.
The test purchase was carried out in September last year, after Trading Standards received reports that under-18s were being served alcohol at the pub.
At the time of the test purchase, the landlord was on the premises but away from the bar, while a friend, who was not employed at the pub, served a teenager two bottles of Holsten Pils.
When the case was heard at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court on June 10, the court was told that at the time of the sale Bishop had no procedures in place to ensure that children were not served with alcohol. He failed to attend court, but was found guilty in his absence. He was fined £660, ordered to pay costs to Trading Standards of £649.90 and a £66 victim surcharge.
The friend who served the children, Rebecca Byrne, was issued with a £100 on the spot fine by council officers immediately after the underage test sale.
Cllr Eluned Stenner, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “These irresponsible actions have seen Mr Bishop having to pay more than £1,375 for something which could so easily have been avoided if he had taken his licensing responsibilities seriously. I hope this prosecution will send a clear message to the very small minority who flout the law in this manner that they will not get away with it.”