A city centre business has been fined more than £12,000 after a knife was sold to a girl under 18.

No-one from Hanley Discount Store, which opened in February 2024, was present for the hearing at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

But magistrates found the case proven in absence against the company, Stoke Discount Ltd. It was fined £12,500 and was ordered to pay a £5,000 victim surcharge and £904.15 costs.

The court heard that the Stafford Street shop had previously been advised by Staffordshire Police to move knives stocked in its kitchen section into a display unit. But while some were later found to be in a display, others were still out on the shop floor.

Stoke-on-Trent Trading Standards carried out a test purchase exercise at the shop in November 2024, as part of routine operations. The store was given prior notice of the exercise, magistrates were told, and posters warning against underage knife sales were on display at the premises.

Ms Filmer, prosecuting on behalf of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "The girl selected a knife and took it to the till. She noticed larger knives behind and requested a swap.

"The man behind the till provided the knife and sold it to her without asking for ID. The knife has been retained by Trading Standards."

Trading Standards made contact with the sole director of the company, who said the man who sold the knife at the store had been employed on a part-time basis for four months at the time of the test purchase.

The director confirmed he had personally trained the employee, the court heard, and it had been oral training on matters including age-restricted item sales such as knives, glue and tobacco, with the staff member told that ID such as a passport or driving licence was required for these products.

Ms Filmer said: "This is clearly a matter of public concern, given implications of knife crime and to ensure blades do not fall into the hands of under-18s. The company had been warned about this previously."

As well as imposing the fine and costs. magistrates issued a destruction order for the knife.