An off-licence has been forced to hand over nearly £2,500 after it was caught selling a can of beer to a 13-year-old girl.

Maxy Roexport Ltd, trading as the Food 4 Less shop on The Hyde, Edgware Road, Colindale, was ordered to pay £2,420 at Willesden Magistrates Court on Tuesday, August 18 after being caught out in the sting operation by Brent council.

As part of the operation, the 13-year-old entered the shop with a 12-year-old girl, and tried to buy a can of Carlsberg lager.

The cashier failed to ask the girl for any ID, and sold her the beer.

Trading standards officers, who were waiting nearby, saw the incident and quickly began prosecution against the off-licence.

The shop was fined £1,500, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £800 in court costs.

Councillor James Denselow, Brent council's cabinet member responsible for trading standards, said: "While it was only one can of beer that was sold to an underage girl, it does not take away from the seriousness and severity of this offence.

"Underage drinking, as we all know, is widely reported to be linked to other issues we have in society, such as anti-social behaviour, unprotected sex, instances of violence, other drug use and binge drinking, all at a time when these young people are still developing and still very much vulnerable.”