A SHOPKEEPER has been fined after he was caught selling cigarettes to an underage teen.

Arshid Amin was caught selling a packet of 10 cigarettes to a 17-year-old from his Appleton shop in a Trading Standards sting.

Mr Amin, the owner of Bridge Lane News, was fined a total of £370 after admitting an offence under the Children and Young Persons Act 1993.

Cllr Judith Guthrie, executive board member for public protection, said: “Selling tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 will not be tolerated – tobacco is an addictive and deadly product that must be prevented from falling into the hands of children and young people.

“Our Trading Standards service has spent a lot of time educating retailers to ensure they do not supply age-restricted products such as tobacco to those underage and it is always disappointing when such sales occur.

“Tobacco causes its users serious health problems and also impacts on the community in the form of costs to the NHS.”