Oswestry’s Community Alcohol Partnership warns young people against using fake IDs

A Shropshire Council-led project, the Oswestry Community Alcohol Partnership (Os-CAP), which aims to tackle underage drinking in the town, is warning young people against using fake IDs to obtain alcohol during the festive season. 

Trading Standards and Walford & North Shropshire College, two of the Os-CAP partners, have joined forces to warn students not to use fake IDs and to promote the use of PASS accredited proof of age cards.

Trading Standards and College staff will be available, in the college, on Friday 9 December 2011 to provide advice to students about the implications of using fake IDs and to offer guidance on the benefit of using PASS accredited cards; young people will be able to pick up card application forms.  Information will also be available explaining how licensees are confiscating fake and false IDs with the full backing of a procedure operated by West Mercia Police.  Guidance on the criminality and consequences of “proxy purchasing”, where someone who is over 18 buys alcohol for someone who is under 18, will also be available.

Frances Darling, Trading Standards Manager and Chair of Os-CAP, said:

“We recognise that passports and photo driving licences are appropriate forms of ID but we want to stress that PASS accredited proof of age cards, such as those offered by VALIDATE UK and Citizencard are also extremely effective methods of proving a young person’s age.  We have been working hard with retailers and particularly pubs to ensure they accept PASS cards but are aware that there may be some pockets of resistance.  If young people experience resistance from licensees, we would strongly encourage them to report this to Trading Standards so we can provide further advice to the licensees concerned.”  

Gemma Lovering, Recreation & Extra Curricular Coordinator from Walford & North Shropshire College, said:

“I really want to encourage students not to take their passports and driving licences with them as proof of age ID.  I totally support the schemes that operate PASS accredited cards and strongly encourage young people to apply for these and use them.  It is worth remembering that PASS accredited cards are much cheaper than a passport and if lost don’t compromise a person’s security.” 

Keith Barrow, Vince Hunt, Martin Bennett and Bill Benyon, Shropshire Councillors for Oswestry, said:

“We fully support the use of PASS accredited proof of age cards and strongly encourage all young people to have one.  Of equal importance is that all Oswestry licensees accept this form of identification so that a consistent approach to ID is adopted across all premises to prevent the sale of alcohol to underage children.”

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards, said:

“The Os-CAP continues to bring a wide range of partners together to tackle the effects of under-age drinking in Oswestry.  Highlighting the issue of fake IDs, together with the promotion of PASS accredited cards, is just one example of the work that the Os-CAP is currently undertaking to bring about a change in attitudes towards underage drinking.”

Further Notes

For more information about VALIDATE UK, visit www.validateuk.co.uk

For more information about Citizencard, visit www.citizencard.com

For more information about Os-CAP, visit www.shropshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards.nsf

When the licensing legislation changed in 2010, Government Minister, James Brokenshire MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Crime Prevention made the following statement:

“The Government wholeheartedly supports the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS), and would encourage all retailers to accept it as proof of age.  Young people are rightly concerned about taking their passport with them on a night out, due to the risk of theft or loss, and they require a reliable document in order to prove their entitlement to purchase age-restricted goods.  I am keen to reassure retailers that accepting a PASS hologram card which carries the bearers image and acceptable date of birth is due diligence, and can be accepted with confidence.”

This was followed by a statement from Chief Constable Jon Stoddart, Licensing Lead, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO):

“The Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) has ACPO’s full support as a vital tool in helping to reduce underage drinking and the associated harms to individuals and society. PASS gives young people a convenient means of proving their age and offers retailers a reliable means of ensuring that they are exercising due diligence at the point of sale. ACPO advises against the practice of carrying valuable ID such as passports for alcohol related purchases; if lost or stolen such documents can be of use to criminals as well as causing inconvenience and expense to those who have to replace them.”