Legal News

Bedfordshire Council Trading Standards have warned shops to make sure they check young customers’ ages, after two out the five stores visited during a recent test-purchasing exercise sold knives to teenage girls.

One of the two stores caught selling the knives may now face further enforcement action.

Despite it being illegal to sell a knife to anyone under the age of 18, during an exercise carried out by the council’s Trading Standards team before Christmas, two of the stores visited in Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Houghton Regis sold knives to the 16- and 17-year-old volunteers.

The joint exercise took place after Bedfordshire Police highlighted an issue with knife-related instances in Dunstable and Houghton Regis – and following complaints received by the council’s Community Safety team.

Bedfordshire Council Executive Member for Community Services, Councillor Brian Spurr, said:

“Exercises like these are not set up to trap stores – but instead to check that they are following the law around not selling knives to children.

“The rules are very clear that it is illegal to sell a knife to anyone under 18.

“If you think that they are, then ask for ID – and if they don’t have any then don’t sell them the knife. That way you will rule out the risk of anyone getting into trouble.”

Sergeant Craig Gurr of Bedfordshire Police’s licensing team added:

“Knives can be incredibly dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands, so it’s vital that legislation around selling them is maintained.

“Tackling knife crime is a key priority for Bedfordshire Police – and test purchases such as these are crucial in helping to ensure that the law is maintained and that young people do not have access to knives which they could potentially use as a weapon.”

Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers

Duncan Lewis crime lawyers can advise at any stage of a charge involving offences such as selling knives, alcohol or tobacco to underage customers, as well as consumer protection offences such as selling banned goods, counterfeit goods or defective goods.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and a criminal defence lawyer can attend interviews under caution with investigating authorities such as the police, Border Force or Trading Standards.

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