A SHOP owner has been fined after a disposable vape was sold to a child.

Shahram Bakir Ahmed, trading as Four Seasons on Commercial Street in Newport city centre, was prosecuted by the council.

Earlier this year, trading standards officers received information that a vape had been sold to someone aged under 18.

They visited the shop, gave advice about the sale of age-restricted goods and left an information pack detailing the same advice.

Following further concerns, a female volunteer visited the premises less than a month later and was sold a nicotine inhaling product, namely an Elf Bar disposable vape, by an employee.

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Further complaints were received about the premises and it was shut under an anti-social behaviour order in July for the sale of illegal tobacco, illegal vapes and the sale of vapes to underage persons.

It remains closed until the expiration of an extended closure order on January 25, 2024.

Ahmed, 32, of Oak Road, Caterham, Surrey was ordered to pay £1,345 in a fine, costs and a surcharge after appearing at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court for sentence.

He admitted a number of regulation failings.

Cllr James Clarke, cabinet member for strategic planning, housing and regulation, said: “This shop was told in no uncertain terms that selling vapes to under-18s was illegal so there is no excuse for the sale that led to this court case.

“The worries about children and young people using these products is well documented and the council takes the issue extremely seriously.

“I would like to congratulate our officers for their diligence in this case and I hope it sends a message to other retailers.”

The four governments of the UK are currently consulting on plans to restrict the sale of vapes to children, with the UK Government planning to bring in laws applying to England “as soon as possible” in the new year.

Health minister Andrea Leadsom told the Commons the Tobacco and Vapes Bill could begin its passage into law very soon.

The Bill aims to restrict flavours and descriptions of e-cigarettes so they are not specifically targeted at children.

MPs campaigning for the change have previously described how flavours of vapes are named to resemble sweets.

In the Commons, Ms Leadsom said: “We all know it is an offence to sell vapes to children under 18, yet one in five children has tried a vape in 2023 alone.

"The numbers trying it have tripled in the last three years."