Belfast: Man avoids jail over illegal teeth whitening

Samuel Irvine Madine admitted the use and supply of illegal tooth-whitening products

A man who continued to run a teeth-whitening clinic in Belfast despite a previous conviction has avoided jail.

Samuel Madine, who owned a clinic on the Shankill Road, pleaded guilty in May to charges relating to the use and supply of tooth whitening products.

On Tuesday he was sentenced to 12 months on probation and given a £1,500 fine.

He must also attend an alcohol counselling programme.

Madine was previously convicted in April 2015 of illegally impersonating a dental practitioner and carrying out teeth whitening.

• Illegal tooth-whitening a 'health gamble'

Sentencing Madine, the judge said he had to take seriously any matters that would impact directly on the health of the public.

Belfast City Council took the case against him after receiving a complaint.

Their searches found hundreds of gels and syringes - some were labelled, some were not.

They found a hydrogen peroxide gel, more than 300 times stronger than Madine would have been allowed to use.

A banned substance called sodium perborate, which can be carcinogenic, was also found.

The court heard the main risks from using these substances were that customers could have been affected by chemical burns or increased sensitivity of the teeth, but it heard there was no evidence of anyone suffering these problems.