Six off-licences accused of selling booze to teen

Date Published: 13-Dec-2012

BY DEARBHLA GERAGHTY

Six off-licence holders, and their staff, are facing prosecution for serving alcohol to a 15 years old boy during a Garda ‘sting’ in the city last August.

Among the defendants before Galway District Court are Dunnes Stores in Westside, Apple’s on New Dock Street, Londis in Mervue, Centra in Renmore, Centra on Lough Atalia Road, and Centra on Forster Street.

In most of these cases, both the holder of the off-licence and the particular employee involved in the actual sale, were summoned. So far, only one case has been dealt with.

At Monday’s sitting, the manager of Centra on Forster Street at the time, Padraig Kilgannon (29), pleaded guilty to breaching the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988, on August 15 last. His employers, Davis & Mahon Limited, had their solicitor adjourn their case to a date in the Spring.

Licensing sergeant, Garda Brendan Moore, told the court that as a result of an operation put in place, a boy (15) was observed buying four cans of beer at 2pm that day.

Judge Mary Fahy said that considering there was a private school within a few hundred metres of this particular shop, there was a bigger onus on employees to check for ID.

“A shop near schools should be more aware of people of a young age coming in. I have to take into account that the person whom he sold alcohol to was only 15 years of age.”

She convicted and fined the defendant €750.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.