A SHOPKEEPER who admitted selling cigarettes to an under-age teenager at Battersby Food and Wine Store has escaped an immediate jail term.

Hevar Abdulrahman was sentenced at Halton Magistrates' Court on Thursday, September 15, to four months in prison which was suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £875 costs with £89 victim surcharge and all the alcohol was seized.

The 27-year-old, of Ashdale Drive, Manchester, pleaded guilty to selling cigarettes to an under 18-year-old as well as several offences in relation to selling and offering for sale alcohol when the premises didn’t have a licence.

Cllr Judith Guthrie, executive board member for environment and public protection, said: “It is our duty to protect the public and part of that duty entails making sure premises are licensed and controlled when they sell alcohol.

"We also need to protect young people from the dangers of smoking and we take this very seriously.”