A shop owner has narrowly avoided having his alcohol licence revoked after being caught selling booze to a boy.

Rajakumar Sinnathurai, who owns the C&S News shop in Margate, was dragged before Thanet District Council's licensing committee earlier this month.

It follows an incident in January when an on-duty PCSO filmed a 16-year-old being served at the shop in the High Street.

Police urged committee members to remove Mr Sinnathurai's licence saying he had been handed a series of warnings about breaching conditions, including selling individual cans of high strength beer and cider and failing to display spirits behind the counter as well as serving an underage customer.

Chief Inspector Lara Connor, who is based at Margate Police Station, said Mr Sinnathurai was contributing to the "major issues" police are facing with anti-social behaviour, street drinking and underage drinking in Margate town centre.

"He has continued to breach licence conditions and is clearly showing no respect for his conditions or the licensing objectives," Ch Insp Connor wrote in a report ahead of the hearing.

"Taking Mr Sinnathurai to review and requesting a revokation is something Kent Police have not taken lightly.

"[He] seems to put profit above anything and cannot see the way he caters for our street drinking population and the sale of alcohol to underage customers is having an extremely negative effect on the High Street as a whole.

"Kent Police are experiencing major issues with drunk youths and drunk street population becoming violent and causing anti-social behaviour in the area."

Ch Insp Connor outlined the licence review was requested after an incident on January 10.

PCSO Lorissa Butcher had seen a teenager known to police for causing anti-social behaviour issues in the town centre.

A member of staff sold the boy two bottles of wine and PCSO Butcher later asked the youngster what identification he had used, replying that he had not used any ID claiming he "gets served in the shop all the time", reports to the committee stated.

But councillors voted not to revoke the certificate saying it would not be "fair and proportionate" to scrap Mr Sinnathurai's licence.

Minutes from the meeting say members questioned evidence given about amendments to the licence and noted members of the public had not complained about the shop.

A council spokesman confirmed there were no other warnings issued following the review.

The documents considered also featured statements from a nearby shop owner and the landlord at Sheldons, the pub opposite C&S News.

Papers submitted by the police revealed the shop was investigated in 2015 with two warnings issued in May 2018 and another in January 2019.

"I have tried to work with Mr Sinnathurai over the last 12 months. I have given him a number of warnings and advices where things are going wrong," Ch Insp Connor added in her report.

"But he continues to take no notice and continues with this irresponsible behaviour putting profit before being a responsible licensee."

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