Unlimited fines for selling alcohol to minors proposed
Magistrates would be able to levy unlimited fines for any so-called Level 5 offence, where fines of up to £5,000 can currently be levied. This includes the sale of alcohol to a child.
Under the proposals, that are only now being tabled under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, maximum fines for selling alcohol to somebody who is drunk, or being drunk and disorderly in public, would rise from £1,000 to £4,000.
Justice minister Jeremy Wright said: “Financial penalties set at the right level can be an effective way of punishing criminals and deterring them from further offending.
“Magistrates are the cornerstone of our justice system and these changes will provide them with greater powers to deal with the day–to–day offences that impact their local communities.”
