A Bracknell shopkeeper has been fined after being caught selling cigarettes to a 16 year-old.

During an operation conducted by the Public Prorection Partnership on October 27, 2021 a underaged volunteer entered Star Supermarket in Bracknell.

He picked up a can of drink and went to the counter where he asked for 20 Mairfair cigarettes.

The seller, identified as company director Mr Sunil Suny handed over the cigarettes without question and took the money for both purchases.

Mr Sunil Suny, of Salt Hill Way, Slough, has been ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, £100 victims’ surcharge and £396.50 towards prosecution costs. 

He was convicted at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 15th July 2022 after being found guilty of the offence. 

Commenting on the case Cllr John Harrison, Executive Councillor for Culture, Delivery and Public Protection and Vice Chairman of the Joint Public Protection Committee, said “Cigarettes present a proven risk to health. Adults are expected to be able to judge that risk for themselves but children are not.

“Parliament has decided that the age where people are considered mature enough to make that choice is 18 and retailers who sell tobacco to under 18 year-olds are breaking the law and will be prosecuted.

“I urge any retailers who stock cigarettes to make sure they have robust systems in place to make sure that anyone who tries to buy cigarettes and appears to be under 25 is asked to prove they are over 18.”