£2,700 Blow for seller who sold vape to 16‑year‑old
A salesperson in Telford has been ordered to pay more than £2,700 after personally selling a nicotine vape to a 16‑year‑old during a test purchase operation.
At Telford Magistrates Court on 23 March, in a case brought by Telford & Wrekin Council’s trading standards team, Baldev Cheema, aged 53, pleaded guilty to individually selling a nicotine vape to a 16‑year‑old volunteer working with Trading Standards.
The sale occurred in a Muxton outlet in December 2025. This was the second time within 12 months that Mr Cheema himself had sold a vape to underage children.
The court heard that when a young volunteer first asked for a vape, Mr Cheema requested ID and refused the sale. However, after the witnessing trading standards officer left the premises, he told the volunteer to: “Wait for him to leave, just in case,” before going on to sell her a watermelon‑ice‑flavoured nicotine vape.
During his interview, Mr Cheema denied making the sale, saying: “I don’t remember selling; I’ve never seen her before; I don’t remember selling anything to her.”
This is the fourth successful underage‑sales prosecution brought by Telford & Wrekin Council since March 2025 and reinforces the consequences for businesses and individuals who fail to comply with age‑restricted sales legislation.
Councillor Richard Overton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement, said: “This case clearly demonstrates that attempts to bypass the law will be detected and prosecuted.
“Telford & Wrekin Council will continue to protect, care and invest to create a better borough through test‑purchase exercises that run regularly across the borough. Retailers are reminded that they have a legal duty to ensure they do not sell age‑restricted products to children.
“Retailers are reminded that they have a legal duty to prevent the sale of age‑restricted products to children and must ensure all staff are fully trained in age‑verification procedures.
“Where offences occur, action can be taken against both the business and the individual who made the sale.”
For vape, convenience and other retail businesses, selling nicotine vapes to anyone under 18 is a criminal offence. The Council’s trading standards team will continue to carry out intelligence‑led operations to ensure retailers and their staff act responsibly.
Residents can support this work by reporting underage alcohol or vape sales to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
Call 0808 223 1133 (free) or use their online service; they will pass your report to the local trading standards office.