DIY store fined for selling knife to children (From Croydon Guardian)

Croydon DIY store fined for selling knife to child

12:20pm Monday 11th February 2013 in News

A DIY trader has been fined for selling a knife to teenagers.

Staff at Croydon DIY in Church Street failed to check the age of two 15-year-olds who entered the store in August last year and bought a carving knife. 

They had been sent in to conduct a test purchase by Trading Standards.

Owner Yasmin Sabery pleaded guilty to selling a knife to an under-18 at Croydon Magistrates Court  on Tuesday February 5. 

The court heard he had been invited to conduct a Trading Standards training course in November 2011 but had failed to attend.

He was ordered to pay a fine of £1,056, prosecution costs of £540 and a victim surcharge of £15.

Councillor Simon Hoar, cabinet member for community safety, said: “It’s impossible to stress the importance of traders, especially sole traders, taking advantage of all the help that’s offered to them.

“This case highlights how easy it is to slip up if staff don’t have the necessary knowledge they would have picked up had the offer of free training been accepted.

“Irresponsible sales such as this are a factor in the incidence of knife crime in society today and traders must appreciate the role they play and the consequences that can lead from such sales.”