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My mum works a couple of mornings a week cash in hand in a local shop. It's one of those shops that sells everything and she's just rung me to tell me that she has been caught by trading standards selling a knife to an underage girl.

Apparently trading standards sent a 13 year old girl in to by the knife, my mum didn't look to see what she was selling (or to whom) as she was busy and just after that the trading standards officer came in and told her what she'd done.

He warned her that she faces a caution, a £5000 fine or a prison sentence. My mum is now terrified that she is going to prison, and has just told me that she'll die if that happens. I've tried to convince her that it won't happen, that she'll most likely get a caution but she's worried to death. I really don't know what to say to her and I'm worried about her.

She is also worried about the fact that she works cash in hand - it works out at very little a week (less than the minimum wage) and she uses it to supplement her pension - she's 77.

Sorry, I know there is nothing that anyone can say or do, but I just wanted to get it off my chest!

Just sums everything up about this country at the moment!

I sometimes wonder why a trading officer should ask a 13 year old girl to buy a knife in the first place! what does that teach. In addition what happens to a child who buys a knife along with other shopping for their parents or do we need to be a certain age for that!

I just wish that the authorities would spend more time sorting out real crimes which actually hurt people than making up artificial ones!

I think your mother will be cautioned and if I was the police I would be furious for wasting my time by creating an artificial transaction.

What does the owner of the shop say and are they being supportive?

Thats awful skippy. Tell mum to try not to worry. I totally agree with Ray,there are more important things going on that need attention than trying to trap some poor person like this.
I would think she will only get a caution, but an awful thing to happen.

Ang

Hi skippy my friend runs a shop and the same thing happened to them, but with alcohol not a knife.My friend and the member of staff who served the beer both had to go to court but it was just a fine for my friend and a slap on the wrist all round. Hope it works out ok.

Thanks everyone! The owner of the shop has gone to India for 2 weeks, although before he went he didn't seem bothered. I hope she gives up the job as he takes her for granted - she was even asked to change a doctor's appointment to cover for him.

Skip, as the others said it will probably just be a caution..I doubt any court would send an elderly woman to prison for something as minor as that.
I hope she tells her boss where to stick it now.

I would imagine that the shop owner was more likely to get into trouble for paying cash in hand, as an employer the courts would say he should know better, your mum at 77 could be excused for not knowing she had done anything wrong

Skippy - sorry to hear about your mum, odds are she will just get a caution .. did the shop owner provide training regarding selling bladed weapons to minors ? If not then he is at fault and is likely to get dragged over the coals.

Trading standards use 'stings' like this 'cos its the only thing that works ! Would you rather shops sold alcohol to under age kids or indeed blades ?

Slainte
Mish -- yes I do work for the polis !

No, my mum has never been told about the legal age for selling anything - I've told her to make that clear, but she doesn't want to get anyone into trouble!

No, I don't want blades being sold to kids but I do think telling a 77 year old woman that she could be fined £5k or go to prison is a bit heavy handed - I think a written warning would suffice in the first instance. She's never done anything wrong in her life and is terrified even by a caution.

This is a hideous tale, putting stress on an elderly lady who probably goes to work for a little bit of social interaction with the outside world, and will probably never want to go again.

If kids want to carry blades, they will raid their kitchen cupboards at home quite easily to find them. It is a sad reflection upon our society, but it is not your Mum's fault.

Make sure you treat her to a nice Mother's day lunch Skip.

I have a friend that works for Trading Standards here in Manchester and although she or I cannot say what will actually happen, she feels it is very unlikely to go beyond a warning of some sort.

Regards.

Thanks Size5, I'll tell her that and hopefully it'll put her mind at rest a bit. If anything does happen it happens, but hopefully she won't be worrying too much in the meantime.

I totally agree with you Melanie. Mum doesn't go out very much apart from work and shopping. She is very shy and I don't mean this to sound horrible but she is not very good in social situations - she looked after my dad for 20 years and towards the end couldn't go out and leave him for more than an hour or so and lost touch with a lot of people.

I actually want her to give up the job - she is on her own in the shop and sometimes the owner expects her to unpack deliveries and unlock the shop. In the winter she is freezing cold - there is no heating and she has to keep the door open, and she cannot use the toilet as it's used as a store room. All this for £38 a week. I've told her to say something, but she won't as she doesn't like upsetting anyone. I just wish she'd think of herself for a change.

My goodness!! Sounds like nothing more than slave labour to me.

Oh skippy, that's terrible. I hope your mum is ok, and just gets a caution.

I've just spoken to her and asked her to give up the job but she won't - she said the money helps her and it makes her go out. She's going to wait and see what happens with trading standards.

Can someone answer me this - do parents do things to worry us when they get old to make up for all the worry we caused when we were younger?!?!?