OsCAP makes it harder for young people to buy alcohol

The Oswestry Community Alcohol Partnership (OsCAP) has reported further success in its efforts to tackle underage drinking in Oswestry through stricter ID checks and other initiatives.

In January 2011, when OsCAP was formed, its research showed that the best way to tackle underage drinking was to make alcohol harder to buy through ID checks.

Since then traders have been offered training by trading standards staff, and have received advice on seizing fake and/or misused ID cards by West Mercia Police, with mystery shoppers then testing the implementation of the advice provided.

PC Mark Moth, local police officer for Oswestry West, said:

“Young people are realising that using fake cards or misusing identity documents is not an option in Oswestry.  If they use identity documents belonging to older friends and siblings, such as driving licences or passports, they run the risk of the card being seized by staff at licensed premises and returned to the issuing authority.  Applying for a new document will incur a fee.

“If young people are caught using such cards and documents by the police, they could be prosecuted.  We are seeing the benefits of the card seizure scheme.  There has been a drop in the number of seized cards since the scheme was originally introduced, and I have been assured by the licensed trade that they remain diligent in their checks.”

Councillor Vince Hunt, Chair of OsCAP, said:

“I am really pleased that the card seizure scheme is having such a positive impact.

“There are still plenty of areas where OsCAP can reduce the availability of alcohol to young people.  We are now focusing on proxy purchasing, where an adult buys alcohol on behalf of an underage person.  The adult may be a parent, or an older friend; either way, they are committing a criminal offence which could result in them receiving a fine of up to £5,000.

“Projects are also being undertaken to tackle proxy purchasing through education and enforcement.”