AN Off-licence supervisor who sold a bottle of wine to a child has been convicted.

Rajendram Aravinthan, 50, was charged with serving alcohol to a person under the age of 18 after failing checks carried out by Brighton and Hove’s Licensing Team as part of Operation Teepee.

Operation Teepee uses underage volunteers to attempt to buy alcohol from off-licences, to check whether vendors ask for proof of age.

Aravinthan, of The Chase, Wallington, Surrey, was the licence holder and designated supervisor at ND Convenience in Carden Avenue, Brighton, on Thursday, October 21, when he sold a bottle of wine to a 16-year-old in full view of a plain-clothed police officer.

After the child left the store with a receipt and the alcohol, uniformed officers entered to caution Aravinthan and arrange for a visit to John Street Police Station in Brighton, where he was interviewed under caution.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on January 27, he pleaded guilty and was fined £230 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

The conviction comes a year since the start of Operation Teepee.

The team visited more than 30 premises across Brighton and Hove last year.

Sussex Police work with premises that fail the checks to help them improve their procedures and remind them of their licensing conditions. 

There were two stores that failed checks last year, and the force say they will now have their licences reviewed.

Inspector Michelle Palmer-Harris, Brighton and Hove’s head of licensing, said: “Licensed vendors have a responsibility to challenge anyone they believe looks under the age of 25. Selling alcohol to children has the potential to cause significant harm to their health and also fuels crime and anti-social behaviour.

“We conducted a multitude of checks under Op Teepee last year and the vast majority of premises either passed or worked with us to improve their performance.

“It was brilliant to see so many businesses aware of their responsibilities, but this conviction shows how seriously we take breaches of licence conditions and that action will be taken against repeated offenders.”

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