Licensing Act 1872

Illicit Sales

3 Prohibition of sale of intoxicating liquors without license.

No person shall sell or expose for sale by retail any intoxicating liquor without being duly licensed to sell the same, or at any place where he is not authorised by his license to sell the same. Any person selling or exposing for sale by retail any intoxicating liquor which he is not licensed to sell by retail, or selling or exposing for sale any intoxicating liquor at any place where he is not authorised by his license to sell the same, shall be subject to the following penalties ; that is to say,

(1) For the first offence he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds, or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding one month:

(2) For the second offence he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding one hundred pounds, or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding three months, and he may, by order of the court by which he is tried, be disqualified for any term not exceeding five years from holding any license for the sale of intoxicating liquors:

(3) For the third and any subsequent offence he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding one hundred pounds, or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding six months, and may by order of the court by which he is tried be disqualified for any term of years or for ever from holding any license for the sale of intoxicating liquors:

In addition to any other penalty imposed by this section any person convicted of a second or any subsequent offence under this section shall, if he be the holder of a license, forfeit such license, and in the case of a conviction for any offence under this section, the court may, if it thinks expedient so to do, declare all intoxicating liquor found in the possession of any such person as last aforesaid, and the vessels containing such liquor, to be forfeited.

No penalty shall be incurred under this section by the heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns of any licensed person who dies before the expiration of his license, or by the trustee of any licensed person who is adjudged a bankrupt, or whose affairs are liquidated by arrangement before the expiration of his license in respect of the sale or exposure for sale of any intoxicating liquor, so that such sale or exposure for sale be made on the premises specified in such license, and take place prior to the special session then next ensuing, or (if such special session be holden within fourteen days next after the death of the said person or the appointment of a trustee in the case of his bankruptcy, or the liquidation of his affairs by arrangement) take place prior to the special session holden next after such special session as last aforesaid.

4 Occupier of unlicensed premises liable for sale of liquor.

The occupier of any unlicensed premises on which any intoxicating liquor is sold, or if such premises are occupied by more than one person, every occupier thereof, shall, if it be proved that he was privy or consenting to the sale, be subject to the penalties imposed upon persons for the sale of intoxicating liquors without license

5 Seller liable for drinking on premises contrary to license.

If any purchaser of any intoxicating liquor from a person who is not licensed to sell the same to be drunk on the premises drinks such liquor on the premises where the same is sold, or on any highway adjoining or near such premises, the seller of such liquor shall, if it shall appear that such drinking was with his privity or consent, be subject to the following penalties; (that is to say,) For the first offence he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds:

For the second and any subsequent offence he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds.

For the purposes of this section the expression " premises where " the same is sold" shall include any premises adjoining or near the premises where the liquor is sold, if belonging to the seller of the liquor or under his control, or used by his permission.

Any conviction for an offence under this section shall be recorded on the license of the person convicted.

6 Evasion of law as to drinking on premises contrary to license.

If any person having a license to sell intoxicating liquors not to be drunk on the premises, himself takes or carries, or employs or suffers any other person to take or carry, any intoxicating liquor out of or from the premises of such licensed person for the purpose of being sold on his account, or for his benefit or profit, and of being drunk or consumed in any other house, or in any tent, shed, or other building of any kind whatever, belonging to such licensed person, or hired, used, or occupied by him, or on or in any place, whether enclosed or not, and whether or not a public thoroughfare, such intoxicating liquor shall be deemed to have been consumed by the purchasers thereof on the premises of such licensed person, with his privity and consent, and such licensed person shall be punished accordingly in manner provided by this Act.

Any conviction for an offence under this section shall be recorded on the license of the person convicted.

In any proceeding under this section it shall not be necessary to prove that the premises or place or places to which such liquor is taken to be drunk belonged to, or were hired, used, or occupied by the seller, if proof be given to the satisfaction of the court hearing the case that such liquor was taken to be consumed thereon or therein with intent to evade the conditions of his license.

7 Sale of spirits to children.

Every holder of a license who sells or allows any person to sell, to be consumed on the premises, any description of spirits to any person apparently under the age of sixteen years, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty shillings for the first offence, and not exceeding forty shillings for the second and any subsequent offence.

8 Sale to be by standard measure.

Every person shall sell all intoxicating liquor which is sold by retail and not in cask or bottle, and is not sold in a quantity less than half a pint, in measures marked according to the imperial standards.

Every person who acts or suffers any person under his control or in his employment to act in contravention of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding, for the first offence ten pounds, and not exceeding for any subsequent offence twenty pounds, and shall also be liable to forfeit the illegal measure in which the liquor was sold.

9 Penalty on internal communication between licensed premises and house of public resort.

Every person who makes or uses, or allows to be made or used, any internal communication between any licensed premises and any unlicensed premises which are used for public entertainment or resort, or as a refreshment house, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds for every day during which such communication remains open.

In addition to any penalty imposed by this section any person convicted of an offence under this section shall, if he be the holder of a license, forfeit such license.

10 Penalty on illicit storing of liquor.

If any licensed person has in his possession on the premises in respect of which his license is granted, any description of intoxicating liquor which he is not authorised to sell, unless he shall account for the possession of the same to the satisfaction of the court by which he is tried, he shall forfeit such liquor and the vessels containing the same, and shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding for the first offence ten pounds, and not exceeding for any subsequent offence twenty pounds.

11 Names of licensed persons to be affixed to premises.

Every licensed person shall cause to be painted or fixed, and shall keep painted or fixed on the premises in respect of which his license is granted, in a conspicuous place and in such form and manner as the Commissioners of Inland Revenue may from time to time direct, his name, with the addition after the name of the word "licensed," and of words sufficient, in the opinion of the said commissioners, to express the business for which his license has been granted, and in particular of words expressing whether the license authorises the sale of intoxicating liquor to be consumed on or off the premises only, as the case may be; and no person shall have any words or letters on his premises importing that he is authorised as a licensed person to sell any intoxicating liquor which he is not in fact duly authorised to sell. Every person who acts in contravention of the provisions of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding for the first offence ten pounds, and not exceeding for the second and any subsequent offence twenty pounds.