Southwark Trader fined for selling knife to underage shopper

11 September 2019

A Peckham business and two employees have been fined a total of £3,610, including costs and victim surcharge, after pleading guilty to selling a six inch kitchen knife to a child under 18.

Camberwell Green Magistrates heard that in February 2019, Southwark Council Trading Standards deployed a 16 year old female volunteer to test purchase knives at Khan’s Bargain Limited, of 135 Rye Lane, as part of an ongoing Home Office funded program of enforcement.

It is illegal to sell knives to anyone under 18, but two members of staff helped the volunteer to buy the knife without asking for ID or challenging her age.

An under-cover police officer, who was working with the council, was in the premises to observe the sale. Mohammed Ismail Khan (24) of NW10 opened a locked cabinet of knives for the young person to choose and she then went on to pay £3.49 to Mr Saidrazan Khan (56) of Camberwell, SE5, who was working at the till.

Cllr Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Health, said: “We all know that in the wrong hands use of a knife can have devastating consequences and it is important that all businesses in our borough play their part to keep the community safe, by ensuring that knives are not sold to children.”

Cllr Victoria Mills, Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Brexit, said: “Unfortunately this trader fell foul of the standards expected and sold without taking any steps to check the age of the purchaser. We always want to work together with businesses to ensure they follow the best practice when stocking and selling knives but we will not hesitate to prosecute businesses that are falling short.”

Page last updated: 11 September 2019