Tories call for stiffer penalities on underage drinking

The Tories have demanded more punishment for people who try to buy alcohol in pubs and off-licences when under age.

Shadow home secretary David Davis accused ministers of “staggering complacency” in failing to enforce the law.

More than a million people are refused alcohol in pubs on the grounds of age every month.

In just one leading off-licence chain last year, more than 300,000 were turned away for the same reason – and the overall number is thought to be many times higher.

According to research by the Conservatives, the odds of young people being prosecuted, cautioned or given a penalty notice for disorder (PND) for buying alcohol underage are just one in 282,000.

However, according to Government figures, the number of prosecutions, cautions or PNDs for purchasing alcohol illegally under-age last year was just 85, says the Shadow Home Secretary

In 2006, court proceedings were initiated against individuals aged between 10 and 17 on just 10 occasions, while 13 would-be drinkers received a police caution and 62 fixed-fine notices were handed to 16 and 17-year-olds.

Mr Davis makes his comments the day after three youths were jailed for kicking father-of-three Gary Newlove to death, in what the judge called a night of “drunken aggression”,

Mr Davis said: “Under age drinking damages young people and fuels youth crime. Ministers talk endlessly about cracking down on alcohol-related violence, but these figures show the Government`s staggering complacency when it comes to taking the action required.

“The Government`s basic failure to enforce the law sends totally the wrong message about under age drinking and puts the public at risk from the spiralling violence it generates.”