Wolverhampton shop which sold knife to teen loses licence

The Costcutter in Bushbury Lane was found to have a stash of illegal vapes, Trading Standards said

A shop that sold a kitchen knife to a teenager after the assistant asked him "you're not going to kill anybody are you?" has had its licence revoked.

The Costcutter, in Wolverhampton, sold the knife to a 17-year-old council volunteer without asking them for their age or for any identification.

Trading Standards said the Bushbury store had earlier been found to have a stash of 81 illegal e-cigarettes.

The licence was revoked by City of Wolverhampton Council this week.

Trading Standards district officer Gurdip Gill said officers had arranged an under-age test over knife purchases at the store on 18 May which was witnessed by a plain clothes police officer.

Refused at other shops

"After entering the shop the volunteer asked a shop assistant whether they sold kitchen knives," he said.

"The assistant said 'you're not going to kill anybody are you?' before directing the volunteer to the relevant aisle where the knives were located."

The teenager selected a £12.50 Prima boning knife and took it to the counter and the same assistant let them buy it without asking for their age or for any identification.

"This volunteer was refused age-restricted products at other shops on the same day," Mr Gill added.

Officers had visited the premises, also known as Premier and Bushbury DIY, in Bushbury Lane, on 26 January and found the haul of illicit vapes.

The nicotine e-cigarettes all bore incorrect health warnings and "exceeded the UK tank size to hold nicotine liquid", Mr Gill said.