M&S in under-age drinking swoop

Marks & Spencer is to be prosecuted for selling alcohol to under-age drinkers, it was revealed today.

Two stores were caught allegedly selling spirit-based alcopops to children under 18 in a massive police blitz on the problem of under-age drinking.

Scotland Yard recruited volunteer police cadets to pose as youngsters buying drink in an operation targeting 68 different outlets in north London.

The crackdown in the borough of Haringey found that 50 stores had sold alcohol to children, including the major M&S branches at Wood Green and Muswell Hill.

The operation comes amid mounting concern among senior police officers over the link between drinking and crime on the streets.

The Yard's Clubs and Vice Unit recently called a meeting of all London's licensing officers to highlight increased concern over the issue.

The latest operation in Haringey represents a tougher attitude on the part of police to youth drinking. All of the 50 stores caught in the sweep will be prosecuted and face being fined for breaching the Licensing Act 1964.

Haringey borough commander Steve James said: "All these people have given their obligation to abide by the licensing laws and it is very disappointing that so many are flaunting the law.

"I think selling alcohol to children is outrageous and a disgrace and places them at risk of becoming the victim of serious crimes and encourages disorderly and criminal behaviour.

"These adults and businesses are failing their community and they should very much reconsider their conduct."

The police operation involved members of the Police Cadets, some as young as 14, who were employed to visit stores and attempt to buy alcohol, while chaperoned by police officers.

Police are concerned that increasing drinking on the streets is fuelling a new crimewave. Chief Superintendent Simon Humphrey, who is in charge of the Met's licensing policy, said: "We are noticing a street drinking problem among the young in suburban areas of London, not just in the inner city areas.

"There are certain boroughs in London where this street drinking culture is linked to a cannabis smoking culture and a crack cocaine culture and all three are inter-twined.

"It influences people's behaviour, encouraging them to commit crime while encouraging another aspect of crime which is the supply of drugs and in some case bootleg liquor.

"We are seeing criminal activity such as assault, violence, damage to property and intimidation. "

A spokesman for Marks & Spencer said: " We have very clear procedures relating to the sale of alcohol to minors. We are very concerned that these incidents happened and we have taken urgent steps to reinforce our policies by writing to all 310 store managers reiterating the guidelines to ensure this does not happen again."

Earlier this week a health expert warned of the dangers of young people drinking spirit-based chasers known as "shots".

Dr Steve Hajioff, a public health physician in London, said people did not realise how much alcohol they were drinking when they consumed the new drinks.