Shopkeeper banged to rights for breaching firework rules
Publication date: Friday 24 June 2011
A Haringey shopkeeper was fined a total of £195 at Highgate Magistrates Court last week (15 June) for selling fireworks to an underage person, failing to display appropriate signage, and for failing to store fireworks safely.
Mr Dilshad Rafiq, aged 30 of Muswell Hill, was fined for three offences relating to the sale, signage and storage of fireworks from his shop, Everbest, at 388 Muswell Hill Broadway.
He was also ordered to pay £50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to three offences under the Fireworks Act 2003, the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Cllr Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said:
"This is about public safety. Traders are required to register with the council and store their products safely. We work with the police to monitor these shops to ensure that fireworks are not sold to youngsters who may be put at risk or who may use them irresponsibly and behave in an anti-social manner."
Rafiq was caught out during a test purchase exercise in November last year, involving council officers, police and police cadets. Rafiq sold a selection box of fireworks to a 16 year old test purchaser when the legal age is 18 years. Officers also found that Rafiq was storing fireworks casually in a back room, presenting a potential fire hazard.
He also failed to display a sign warning customers of the age restrictions on firework sales and possession in a public place.
In court, Rafiq said that the decision to stock fireworks had been taken at the last minute.
His guilty plea was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Subscribe to Email Alerts | 
RSS News Feed | What is RSS? | News Archive
- Return to Latest News or the News Archive
