Shops cannot sell knives to people aged under 18. Pic: Elliott Brown

A Norbury shopkeeper has been fined after admitting selling a set of razor sharp knives to a 14-year-old boy a month after being sent a letter offering training about age-restricted sales.

Shakab Hakime, who owns Norbury Discount Store in London Road admitted the offence at Croydon Magistrate’ Court on Tuesday.  He was fined £250 and ordered to pay costs of £250 and a £25 victim surcharge.

Hakime sold the set of six craft knives to a teenager involved in a Croydon trading standards operation in February this year, without checking the boy’s age.  The month before the purchase the shop had been sent a letter stating that test purchases would be carried out in the next 90 days and they were invited to attend a Do You Pass? training course.

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.”

Hakime admitted that he had, at the time, no formal record of any training relating to the sale of age-restricted products; no warning posters in any location; and had no record of any refusals previously made to demonstrate controls in place.

He had previously been visited by officers, in 2009, when he was given advice on the law relating to knife sales.

The other seven shops visited by the trading standards team refused to sell age-restricted goods to the young volunteer.