Four U-18s rapped under Fraud Act

Four children in Shrewsbury have been reprimanded under the Fraud Act for using someone else's ID to try to buy alcohol in pubs in the past six months.

It's the latest example of under-18s being targeting for attempted underage sales using anti-fraud law.

PC David Walton said 40 pubwatch venues are asked to seize fake IDs, or genuine ID owned by someone else, and hand them to police. The person carrying the ID is issued with a "receipt" detailing what has happened.

The police then issue a warning letter — 160 have been sent so far.

Further action has been taken against four under-18s who re-offended. They were reprimanded, with a warning that they could face court if they continue to re-offend.

The action was taken under the Fraud Act on charges of fraud by false representation and abuse of position.

"I was telling the licensed premises that they need to do more to keep under-18s out," explained Walton.

"They came back saying they knock someone back and see the same faces again, so what can we do about it?"

Home Office officials are to visit Shrewsbury to see how the scheme works in the next couple of weeks.

Walton said the number of IDs that end up at the police station has fallen dramatically since the scheme launched, and now averages just two or three per week. Only one in 20 IDs are fake, the rest are genuine documents used by a younger sibling or friend.

Last week the Morning Advertiser reported that a 17-year-old girl from Essex had been arrested on fraud charges for allegedly using someone else's ID to buy alcohol at a bar.

A recent Home Office poster campaign warns under-18s that if they are caught using ID fraudulently to buy alcohol they could have it confiscated and may be prosecuted.