An SE1 bookshop must pay nearly £7,000 for selling a knife to a fifteen-year-old boy.
A sales assistant at Waterloo’s Ian Allen Book & Model Shop sold the teen a knife as part of a model-making tool kit in July.
Camberwell Green Magistrates Court heard that the staff member didn’t ask any questions about the boy’s age.
Unknown to the retailer, the fifteen-year-old was part of a test operation ran by Lambeth Trading Standards.
Magistrates heard that the shop, on Lower Marsh, could have taken steps to prevent the under-age knife sale such as a Challenge 25 policy.
The shop’s defence told the court that it has now taken steps to make sure age-restricted goods couldn’t be sold to underage customers again.
“I find it extraordinary given the publicity surrounding young people and knife crime that traders are still selling knives to those below the legal age of 18,” said Cllr Paul Gadsby, Lambeth Council’s cabinet member for housing.
“I am grateful that our officers are taking tough action against these businesses and I hope this case sends a strong message to all retailers in our borough – that they have a major part to play in protecting our community and reducing serious crime.”
Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, the trading company, pleaded guilty to one offence in relation to the sale, and was fined £5,000.
It must also pay prosecution costs of £1,460 and a victim surcharge of £181.