New photo B&M fined record £480k for selling knives to teenagers as young as 14 at bargain store in East London

BARGAIN superstore B&M has been fined a record £480,000 after selling knives to teenagers as young as 14 in East London.

The retailer admitted selling blades to under-18s after being caught in council undercover stings on three occasions.

These are the packs of knives the teens were allowed to buy in B&M stores in Barking and Dagenham as part of the council sting

Barking & Dagenham Council

Police and trading standards officials sent four teenagers into stores in Barking and Chadwell Heath where they were able to purchase blades, including an large carving knife.

B&M Retail pleaded guilty in June this year to three counts of selling knives to under-18s.

At its Goodmayes Retail Park store in Redbridge on September 19 last year, a 15-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl were able to buy a set of four “very sharply pointed” knives, Barkingside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Just two days later at its Vicarage Fields store in Barking, a 16-year-old boy bought a three-piece knife set and at the same store on January 19 this year a boy aged 14 successfully purchased three knives.

B&M has been fined a record £480,000 for illegally selling knives to under-18s, file image of a B&M store

B&M Home Store

District Judge Gary Lucie said the offences – which all involved volunteer youths making test purchases – were serious, and set the incidents within the context of London’s high knife crime levels.

He said: “The stark fact is knife crime is at record levels across the country, particularly in London.”

Judge Lucie added: “Clearly these offences were not deliberate nor were there serious or systemic failures within the organisation regarding the underage sales of knives.

“However, it appears to me that whilst systems were in place they were deficient.”

The teens were able to buy a number of blades from the bargain retailer, file image of inside a B&M store

B&M Home Store

He said it was concerning that the stores had not put in place measures to prevent such instances from occurring in what it accepted were “high risk areas”.

The judge added that he had asked the company why it had not implemented measures such as putting knives in cabinets, away from young people, and said he had been informed “this would now be considered”.

The company was fined £480,000 and ordered to pay costs and the statutory surcharge, bringing the total amount owed to £492,598.53.

District Judge Lucie said while the fine may seem large it is “approximately one day’s net profit” for the company.

B&M Retail was given 28 days to pay.

The prosecution, taken by Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge councils, is a landmark one, a local councillor said.

Bob Littlewood, cabinet member for crime, safety and community cohesion at Redbridge Council, said: “Given the horrific consequences of knife crime it’s essential that traders, large and small, do everything they can to prevent knives and blades getting into the wrong hands.

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“This landmark prosecution exposes a shocking abuse of the law and sends a clear message that we will not tolerate rogue traders putting lives at risk.

“I want to praise the commitment of officers at both councils and the young volunteers who are essential to making these operations a success.

“Tackling crime is one of our priorities and we will continue to take tough action with the police and other boroughs to keep east London safe.”

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News Pictures B&M fined record £480k for selling knives to teenagers as young as 14 at bargain store in East London

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