TORFAEN council is pro-mising a crackdown on shops selling alcohol to under-age youths as a Blaenavon shopkeeper was fined for supplying alcohol to a 15-year-old girl.

Abergavenny magistrates yesterday found Albert John Bright, licensee of Elgam Stores, Rifle Green, guilty of offences against the Licensing Act. Mr Bright was not present at court to hear the verdict.

His daughter-in-law, Gemma Bright, who pleaded guilty to selling the alcohol to the girl, was also not present.

The court heard that on July 20 last year trading standards officers from Torfaen county borough council organised an underage test survey. As part of the survey two 15-year-old girls carrying a hidden camera went into Elgam Stores, and one of them purchased four bottles of Smirnoff Ice alcopop.

Christopher Tyndall, representing Torfaen county borough council, told the court that neither of the girls had been questioned about their age. Giving the verdict, the chairman of the magistrates, Donald Cecil, said: "I view the incident as very serious, as the sale of alcohol to under-age youths has far-reaching social effects."

He also said he was disappointed with the attitude of the defendants, who were not present at the court.

Mr Bright was fined £500 and ordered to pay £188 costs, and Mrs Bright was fined £200 and ordered to pay £100 costs.

Speaking after the hearing, Steve Whitehouse, head of trading standards at Torfaen county borough council, said: "Today's case is part of an ongoing programme by the council, together with the police, aimed at tackling the problem of alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour in Torfaen.

"Alcohol is one of the main contributing factors to youth anti-social behaviour, and we will be continuing with test purchase surveys across the county borough over the coming months.

"The verdict is a warning to those in the off-licence trade that sales of alcohol to under-age persons will not be tolerated."