Employees from three local businesses were given a wake up call when they appeared in Mudgee Local Court on Wednesday on charges of selling tobacco products to a minor.
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All three were placed on good behavior bonds for a period of four months but had no convictions recorded.
On Saturday, March 17, 2012, each had sold cigarettes to a 13 year-old-girl, made up to look older, and hadn’t asked to check identification.
This is a serious public policy issue and it makes me wonder how many times this sort of thing has gone undetected.
It was part of an operation by NSW Department of Health and each was subsequently charged.
None of the three had a criminal record, all pleaded guilty and none offered a real excuse for their actions to the court.
Although they weren’t convicted, Magistrate Jan Stevenson said that it was a warning that “the Department [of Health] is really getting more vigilant”.
“Everybody knows that you can’t sell alcohol or tobacco to minors, we have to help them help themselves,” she said.
“This is a serious public policy issue and it makes me wonder how many times this sort of thing has gone undetected.”
