A corner shop lost its licence for selling alcohol and tobacco to young children.

Crazy Corner in High Road, East Finchley, sold cigarettes and alcohol to police cadets who were under 18.

The police cadets were disguised as customers and visited the shop on three occasions in October 2015, September 2017 and March 2018.

Each time, the shop failed to ID them.

Hitesh Kalidas, who holds the shop, made one of the sales.

Its licence was revoked following a hearing by Barnet Council’s licensing sub-committee on August 30.

Mr Kalidas has 21 days to appeal the subcommittee's decision.

Cllr John Marshall, chairman of the Barnet Council’s licensing committee, said: “The council and the police take under-age sales of alcohol and tobacco very seriously.

“Licence holders have a responsibility to ensure this doesn’t happen, yet on three separate occasions, this shop sold alcohol and cigarettes without asking for any identification.

“With repeat offenders such as this, we have no other option but to revoke their licence.

“I hope this also sends a strong message to other business of the importance of taking very seriously their licensing responsibilities.”

Sergeant Jane Tuffin, from the Barnet Police licensing team, said: “Crazy Corner has been coming to the attention of police and the community for a number of years for the sale of alcohol to minors. “We have made every effort to support, educate and to bring about change.

"However, as this problem persisted we had no alternative but to review their licence.

“The licensee, Mr Kalidas, repeatedly failed to meet the licensing objectives to protect children.

“I would like to thank the community for engaging with us and bringing their concerns to our attention so that we could act upon them.”