B&M is fined £480,000 for selling knives to teenagers

B&M, the low cost superstore, has been ordered to pay a record £480,000 fine after selling knives to teenagers as young as 14.

The company was criticised for its “deficient” systems, which allowed young people to buy blades, including a large carving knife, at some of its shops in London.

B&M Retail pleaded guilty in June to three counts of selling knives to under18s. At its Goodmayes Retail Park store in Redbridge on Sept 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 Jan 19 this year a boy aged 14 successfully purchased three knives.

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.”

He added: “Clearly these offences were not deliberate nor were there serious or systemic failures within the organisation regarding the under age sales of knives.

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

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

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