Shop regains its licence despite selling vodka that hospitalised teen

A SHOP that sold vodka to a child who later required hospital care has been granted a fresh licence - despite strong opposition from police.

- By DANIEL ESSON

Dylan's Superstore in Dover lost its licence to sell alcohol after staff were caught on CCTV selling a litre of spirits to a 16-year-old.

But this week, despite police objecting in the strongest possible terms, Dover District Council agreed to give the store a second chance for a "probation period".

After the child was hospitalised in August last year, police argued the shop’s owner and licence-holder, Antony Sinnarasa Brown, was “not suitable” to run it. How-ever, at a council licensing meeting last Tuesday (June 10), members decided to allow Mr Sinnarasa Brown's wife, Kilda Muthulingam, to take on the licence for one year.

After the probationary period is over, Ms Muthulingam will have to re-apply for the licence.

PC Dannii Rolfe told the committee the premises, also known as High Street Mini Mart, had “a history” with the force, and pointed out that the child had been allowed to purchase the spirits “without any suitable challenge of age”.