Cops hire 'drunk' actors in pubs sting

Licensees have raised questions over the police's attitude towards them after a sting operation which used "drunk" actors to catch out staff.

Amateur actors visited 10 pubs on a Saturday night in Bexley, South-East London, where they behaved drunkenly and smelt of alcohol, which had been poured on their clothes.

None of the pubs refused to serve the actors, police said.

Licensees were not told if their pubs had been visited, but the scenes were the re-enacted in a seminar held in the council's offices in front of more than 100 publicans.

Tony Johnson of the Robin Hood and Little John in Bexley, said the actors, during the re-enactment just "looked like they were having a day out".

"If someone is violent, aggressive or being a nuisance to other customers then I will make them leave, but not if someone is just having a drink and a laugh," he said.

"Police act like we are the ones causing all the problems and the pressure is put on us to police them.

Richard Bettinson, licensee at the Jolly Millers pub, said he knows when his regulars have had too much to drink.

He added: "The police don't give the licensees enough credit, blaming us before we have done anything wrong."

Chief Inspector Steve Murrant, who is in charge of licensing in Bexley, said actors' behaviour during the re-enactment had been 'toned down' from the scenes at the pubs. But during the original pub visits, he said the actors were "dropping money all over the place, lying across the bar and bumping into support officers.

"They were splashed with whisky so they reeked of it."

He added: "Publicans say they are acting responsibly but if these 10 people still got served then the message hasn't got through."