A TRADING standards chief has defended a decision not to prosecute store giant Dixons just six months after three small Skipton stores were hauled before the courts for the same offence.

Hertfordshire-based DSG Retail Ltd, which owns the electrical retailer, was due to appear before Skipton magistrates on Wednesday to answer a charge of selling an 18 certificate video film to a 14-year-old boy.

But the case was withdrawn and the Herald has learned that the firm has been cautioned by trading standards officials.

The offence was spotted during a routine check by trading standards officers on the Skipton branch of Dixons last September. But, just weeks before, three Skipton stores were prosecuted for the same offence.

Gerard Davies, of Game X Change in Coach Street, was conditionally discharged for six months and ordered to pay £242 costs. The John Phillip store on Newmarket Street was fined £200, plus £230 costs, and the owners of Home Zone, on Swadford Street, were given a 12 month conditional discharge, with £331 costs.

Stuart Pudney, head of North Yorkshire Trading Standards, told the Herald that the decision to caution DSG had been taken after careful consideration of the case.

"It had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that it was Dixons," he said. "We believed it would not be in the public interest to proceed with the case."

Mr Pudney explained that, although there had been a case to answer, the company had had done everything in its power to prevent such an offence from happening.

"In our view the company was not far off the mark so they had a defence of due diligence," he said.

But the decision has angered Gerard Davies, of Game X Change, who said it appeared small businesses were being penalised.

"Everything's geared up for the multiples," he said. "Originally I was advised to plead not guilty because I had done everything I could to stop this happening. But I just wanted to get it over and done with."

The Herald contacted the John Phillip store which did not wish to comment.

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