A Preston retailer who sold a knife to a 15-year-old during test purchasing has been fined £10,000.
NHL Pound Plus Ltd, which operated a shop on New Hall Lane in Preston, pleaded guilty to selling a bladed article to an under-18 when the case was heard at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 29 June 2026.
The court heard that on 20 November 2025, Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards officers carried out a test purchase at the store. During the operation, a shop worker sold a pack of five snap off knives to a 15-year-old girl for £2.99.
The seller did not ask the child any questions about her age or request identification and the sale was witnessed by Trading Standards.
The company’s director, Emtiyaz Mohmedadam Patel, told officers that the individual who made the sale was covering the shop on a one-off basis due to a family emergency and had not received any training.
However, the court was told that there had been two previous incidents involving the sale of knives to children at the same premises, in May 2024 and November 2024.
Despite introducing an age-restricted sales policy after the previous incidents, the court heard that the individual involved in the latest offence had not been trained in its use.
In sentencing, the magistrates took into account the repeat offending and fined the company £10,000, plus a £2,000 victim surcharge and £300 in costs.
Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities, said:
“Businesses have a clear legal responsibility to ensure that knives are not sold to children, and there is no excuse for failing to carry out basic age checks.
“This case is particularly concerning as there had been previous incidents at the same premises, yet adequate safeguards were still not in place.
“Our Trading Standards officers will continue to carry out test purchasing operations and take action where necessary to protect young people and keep our communities safe.”
Current investigations have revealed that NHL Pound Plus is no longer operating from the premises at 194-196 New Hall Lane as the shop signs have been changed, and another limited company was registered at the same address on June 22, 2026.
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