A Brentford shop owner has been convicted after alcohol was sold to a 15-year-old child for a second time in three years.
The former owner of Trishul Groceries in Brentford, was found guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court last month of an offence relating to the sale of alcohol to a person under 18.
The prosecution followed a test purchase operation carried out by Hounslow Council's Trading Standards team in 2025, during which a 15-year-old volunteer was able to purchase alcohol from the store without being asked for identification.
The conviction comes after a previous prosecution in 2024, when alcohol was also sold to a 15-year-old at the same premises. On that occasion, the owner pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine, costs and surcharge totalling £1,324.
The former owner has since sold the business.
Following the latest prosecution, the court imposed:
- A fine of £807
- Victim surcharge of £223
- Prosecution costs of £3,548.20
These bring the total financial penalty to £4,578.20.
Councillor Amy Croft, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Enforcement and Recycling at Hounslow Council, said: "Businesses that sell alcohol have a legal responsibility to ensure age-restricted products do not end up in the hands of children.
"Selling alcohol to underage people can put young people at risk and have wider impacts on our communities.
"This case sends a clear message that we will take robust action against retailers who repeatedly fail to uphold their responsibilities."
Hounslow Council's Trading Standards team regularly carries out test purchase operations to help protect children and young people from accessing age-restricted products, including alcohol, tobacco and vaping products.