A Perth shopkeeper has been fined for selling e-cigarettes to children.
Latif Akar was caught handing over vape products to two 14-year-old schoolgirls without checking for ID at his My Fone store on South Street.
Both times, he was spotted by passing police officers.
The 49-year-old appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted selling restricted products to under-18s on two occasions in December.
His solicitor said Akar plans to give up the tobacco sales side of his business to avoid further offending.
It comes just weeks after a leading respiratory doctor warned about the effects of vapes on teenagers and called for further regulation to avoid mass lung damage and addiction issues.
Twice caught
The court heard police officers on patrol saw Akar selling to a youngster at around 4.20pm on December 2.
“She purchased a vape box,” said fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson.
“He did not asked for identification.”
She said officers questioned Akar and he said the girl was 18.
Akar was caught again just 10 days later.
“Officers were at the shop for an unrelated matter,” the fiscal depute said.
“It was similar circumstances and the transaction was filmed on CCTV.
“The accused did cooperate with police.”
Expansion plan
Solicitor Jamie Baxter, defending, said his client moved to Perth 12 years and had various jobs before opening his own mobile phone repair shop.
“Like all businesses, the shop was hit by troubled times.
“He tried to expand into selling nicotine products.
“He obtained a licence for this from the local authority more than 12 months ago.”
Akar has been advised by trading standards officers what cards and documents could be used for ID.
“The first girl was a regular visitor to this shop and had purchased this product on a number of occasions,” said Mr Baxter.
“He tells me he had seen identification from her before.
“She had shown him some evidence of her age on her phone and he had accepted that.
“However, that should not have been accepted in terms of the regulations.”
Mr Baxter said: “He accepts that on the second occasion he did not asked for ID.
“He simply assumed she was of age.”
The girl came to his shop during school hours.
“He thought if she was of school age, she would have been at school,” the solicitor said.
“He tells me that since these two incidents the police have been in regular attendance to keep an eye on him.
“His intention is not to continue supplying such products to avoid any repeat of these kind of offences.”
Health concerns
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon told Akar: “In relation to the first charge, it appears you were shown some kind of ID that wasn’t sufficient at all.
“Police spoke to you that day and gave you advice.
“But 10 days later, you again sold this product to another child of the same age.
“You didn’t seek any ID at that point and that is extremely concerning.”
The sheriff added: “There is a reason why children don’t have access to these products.
“There have been recent health reports regarding this.”
Akar, of Pomarium Street, Perth, was fined £600.
In January, five shops in Dundee were caught selling vapes to under-18s during a sting operation coordinated by trading standards.
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