THE Morrisons supermarket in Weymouth could lose its licence to sell alcohol after selling drink to under-age youngsters.

On three separate occasions in the past two years the store sold alcohol to teenagers, according to a council report.

Now members of the borough council’s licensing sub-committee are being asked to reconsider the Dorchester Road store’s licence.

Dorset Police have called for a review on the grounds of ‘prevention of crime and disorder’, while Trading Standards has called for a review on the grounds of ‘protection of children from harm’.

The store sold alcohol to three different children during the period from December 2007 to June 2009, during test operations in Weymouth and Portland.

On December 20, 2007, a 14-year-old volunteer was able to buy alcohol despite a ‘Challenge 21 policy’ being in force in the store.

The sale was witnessed by Trading Standards enforcement officer Emma Harrison and police licensing officer Karen O’Donnell, and ‘at no time was the child asked for proof of identity or challenged about her age’.

A revisit was organised in January 2008 and the seller was issued with a fixed penalty notice by Dorset Police.

On November 26, 2008, a 15-year-old volunteer bought alcohol at the store, again witnessed by Trading Standards and police licensing officers.

The seller was formally interviewed about the sale and later issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Both sellers had been trained by the store to deal with the sale of alcohol.

The store then introduced a Task 25 policy, which requires cashiers to ask anyone who appears under 25 years old for identification.

On June 12 this year, a 15-year-old volunteer was sold alcohol at the store, despite the seller checking it with his manager.

The authoriser was later interviewed.

She said she was not trained to supervise the checkouts and had been covering for a colleague.

This Thursday, members of the licensing sub-committee meeting will be discussing the matter at 3pm at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s North Quay offices.

Currently, Weymouth’s Morrisons is able to sell alcohol on weekdays between the hours of 8am and 11pm, on Sundays between 10am and 10.30pm, on Christmas Day from noon to 3pm and 7pm to 10.30pm and on Good Friday from 8am until 10.30pm.

Existing conditions require that alcohol shall not be sold in an open container or be consumed in the licensed premises.

At the review hearing, the licensing authority will decide whether to take no action, to modify or add conditions to the licence, remove the designated premises supervisor, suspend or revoke the licence.

Morrisons declined to comment.