Crime Solicitors

The London Borough of Bexley has prosecuted the owner of a sunbed salon for illegally selling a sunbed session to a minor.

Donna Nails and Tanning – based in Welling High Street – faced two charges of breaching regulations prohibiting sunbed businesses from allowing under-18s to use sunbeds.

The court heard that, on 26 October 2016, a 16-year-old girl had been sold a sunbed session at the premises – and the business then committed a further offence by allowing her into the restricted sunbed zone.

The 16-year-old was carrying out a test purchase on behalf of Bexley Council’s Trading Standards department and did not go through with the sunbed session.

The defendant, Huong Thi Thanh Nguyen (38) of Heath Road in Crayford did not attend the hearing at Bexley Magistrates’ Court, but was represented by her solicitor.

Guilty pleas were entered for both charges and the defendant was fined £1,500 – and ordered to pay £1,000 costs and £150 victim surcharge – for the offence of selling the sunbed session to a minor.

There was no additional sentence for the charge of allowing a minor into the restricted sunbed zone.

At sentencing, Bexley Magistrates’ Court agreed with the council’s legal representative, saying there had been a clear breach of legislation designed to protect underage people, which could endanger their health.

The London Borough of Bexley said that it takes any breach of legislation designed to protect the health of minors extremely seriously – and its Trading Standards team will continue to crack down on businesses found to be flouting such legislation.

Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers

Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers can advise at any stage of a public protection offence, including charges involving selling counterfeit goods, selling illicit alcohol or tobacco products, weights and measures issues, mislabelling offences, food hygiene breaches, selling restricted items to minors, breaches of health and safety regulations – and selling or offering for sale produce which fails to meet minimum quality standards.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and in most major cities – and Duncan Lewis can advise on police raids and premises inspections by Trading Standards or local authority fraud teams.

For expert legal advice on public protection offences, call Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers on 0333 772 0409.

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