THE owner of an off-licence in Bransgore, who sold alcohol to an under-age girl, has escaped being temporarily stripped of his licence.

Cornelis van Biemen, the designated supervisor of Bransgore Wines, pleaded guilty to the offence of selling alcohol to someone under 18, after he sold a test customer a 70cl bottle of Smirnoff Ice on July 27 last year.

Lyndhurst Magistrates Court heard how the 15-year-old girl, who was acting as a test purchaser for Trading Standards, was able to buy the alcohol without being asked for any identification, even though the shop operated an over-21 scheme.

Prosecutor Andrew Slee said that despite Mr van Biemen being sent a retailer's pack and training module with advice on the identification of customers' ages, the proprietor of the shop in Oakdale Parade, still failed to question the girl's age.

He added that when Mr van Biemen was cautioned by a police officer with the girl on the exercise, he said: "I am so sorry, I can only apologise."

According to Mr Slee, the defendant also told the officer that prior to running Bransgore Wines he had not had any retail or licensee experience and was struggling to make a profit from the business.

Mr Van Biemen told magistrates he had been distracted by the unusual behaviour of another customer in the shop at the time.

There had been a spate of shoplifting and he was not paying attention to the customer he was serving.

He added: "Living is difficult. Bills are stacking up and there are more and more to pay.

"I have only a negative bank account with no savings."

Magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay court costs of £150, reduced from £836.