A Galway city pub has been ordered to close for seven days following a conviction yesterday for serving a 16-year-old girl vodka and wine in its off-licence.
Mr Cian Campbell, licensee of The Blue Note, William Street West, Galway, who was also fined €1,000, had denied a breach of the Intoxicating Liquor Act. It was his first offence.
His barman, Mr Mark Raftery, claimed in court that the teenager produced an identification card to him, showing she was over 18. He said he would not have served her otherwise.
The girl, who appeared in court with her mother, gave evidence the barman had asked her for identification but he served her anyway when she told him she didn't have any.
She denied under cross-examination by defence solicitor, Mr Barry Gavin, that she had produced false identification.
Garda Pat Hanlon gave evidence that he was on duty and sitting in his car near the premises at 9.30 p.m. on December 13th last when he noticed three girls approach the off-licence attached to the pub.
The tallest girl went in and emerged moments later.
Garda Hanlon stopped the girls and the girl who had entered the off-licence admitted she had bought three naggin bottles of Smirnoff vodka and one bottle of Buckfast wine. She cannot be identified.
The girl had one bottle of vodka in her bag, while one of her friends had the remaining bottles stashed in her schoolbag. Garda Hanlon said the girl did not have identification on her.
Judge Mary Fahy said there was a deficit in checking identification and she would have to convict because the girl bought a large amount of alcohol, for her age at least.