A 15-year-old was sold a bottle of Corona beer from a Nab Wood shop during an undercover operation, a court was told.

On Thursday Dalia Said Hammad, the owner of Nab Wood Convenience Store, appeared at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to selling alcohol to someone under the age of 18.

The court heard that although it was not Hammad, 44, of Abbott Road, Leeds, who sold the beer, he was responsible due to being the store owner.

Magistrates were told that West Yorkshire Trading Standards had received “a series of complaints” about children being sold alcohol in the store, on Nab Wood Drive, and in September 2022 notified the business it would likely carry out a test purchase in the near future.

On May 30, 2023, that test purchase took place.

A Trading Standards officer attended the store, followed by a 15-year-old test purchaser.

They were sold a 330ml bottle of the 4.5% lager without being asked for ID.

The purchase was witnessed by the Trading Standards officer.

Waseem Raja, prosecuting on behalf of Trading Standards, said: “Trading Standards had received a series of complaints regarding the business selling alcohol to children.

“The test purchaser entered the store on May 30 and was sold a bottle of Corona for £1.89 without being challenged about his age or asked for ID.”

He acknowledged it was a member of staff, not Hammad, who sold the alcohol, adding: “This employee hadn’t been there very long, about a week. There had been some communication between himself and the defendant on the procedures for the sale of alcohol.”

During an interview with Hammad, he said there had been training of staff and procedures for alcohol sales put in place, but didn’t keep any records of this training.

None of the usual procedures for shops that sell alcohol, such as an age verification policy, seemed to be in place.

Mr Raja added: “This was the supply of an alcohol product to a child.”

Defending himself, Hammad said: “I make a promise – next time it won’t happen again. It was a big mistake.”

When asked about his income, he told the court the store brought in around £13,000 last year, and that he owned another store in Bradford.

Magistrates said there was a shortcoming in training and fined Hammad £400. He was also ordered to pay a £160 surcharge and £500 towards the £1,797 it cost Trading Standards to bring the case to court.