A NORBURY trader has been fined for selling razor-sharp knives to a 14-year-old boy.
Shakab Hakime, owner of Norbury Discount Store, in London Road, admitted selling a set of six craft knives to the teenager.
The boy was part of a Croydon Council trading standards test-purhcasing operation in February and was not challenged about his age by Hakime.
He had visited seven other shops as part of the operation, who all refused to sell him the knives – which carried a prominent warning, stating "not to be sold to anyone under 18 years of age".
At Croydon Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday), Hakime admitted selling a knife to a person aged under 18 and was fined £250, ordered to pay costs of £250 plus a £25 victim surcharge.
He admitted at the time of the sale he had no formal record of any training relating to the sale of age-restricted products.
He was sent an invitation to attend a Do You Pass? business training course and warned that test purchasing would be carried out within the next following 90 days.
Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for safety and justice, said: "Knife crime is a matter the council takes very seriously, and the sale of knives to a young person demonstrates a disregard for the law and the safety of people in Croydon's community.
"Those in the business of selling knives have a particular responsibility to be especially vigilant, and if they fail in that responsibility must be prepared to accept the consequences."
