Teens on a mission in bid to stop booze sales to under 18s

TEENAGE volunteers are to be used to check whether off-licences in the Capital are selling alcohol to under-age youngsters.

Lothian & Borders police officially launched their test purchasing scheme in Edinburgh today with the help of Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

Sixteen-year-old volunteers have been recruited to go into off-licences and try to buy drink.

And shops which sell alcohol to under-18s could end up losing their licence.

The scheme was trialled in Fife and test purchasing has been under way in West Lothian since the end of last year.

Police say the aim is to ensure off-licences ask for ID to make sure customers are 18 or over before selling them alcohol.

The test purchasing scheme will allow police to target action against premises they believe are selling drink to under-age people.

Shops failing the test will be reported to the procurator fiscal and the licensing board.

Mr MacAskill, said: "We know that too many under-18s are drinking alcohol. A simple walk through a park or down the street on a Friday night is evidence of that.

"To tackle this we need to make sure they can't buy alcohol. That's why we've rolled out the national test purchasing scheme.

"Responsible licensees have nothing to fear. Adopting a 'can't tell, don't sell' policy is the best option.

"This is about protecting our young people and tackling under age drinking. I hope this can help make sure young people in Edinburgh are not able to buy alcohol."

Figures published earlier this month showed that in 2005-06, just five people were prosecuted in 2005-06 for selling alcohol to under-18s.

Superintendent Lesley Clark, of Lothian and Borders police, said the force was working in partnership with the licensed trade to tackle the problem of underage drinking and alcohol-related youth disorder.

She said: "A good deal of the antisocial behaviour that our communities face is caused by the consumption of alcohol by persons under 18 years of age and by utilising the approach of test purchasing we are taking pro-active steps to reducing the supply of alcohol to young people."

She said all offences would be reported to the procurator fiscal and licensing boards.

"This is an intelligence led initiative that will target problematic premises and areas," she said.

"I would encourage any member of the public with information concerning licensed premises selling alcohol to persons under 18 to contact their local police station.

"This information will be acted on in determining the locations of test purchasing operations designed to tackle antisocial behaviour and make communities safer for all."