A SHOPKEEPER who sold alcohol to an underage schoolboy has been granted a  new personal licence after admitting he has learned his lesson.

Manish Kumar had a decision on his personal licence delayed for five months earlier this year by East Lothian Council’s licensing board to hear the outcome of police action against him over the incident at the Day-Today store in Tranent last year.

A virtual meeting of the board was told that Mr Kumar had received a warning from the procurator fiscal over the incident, in which the 14-year-old boy was able to buy two bottles of Mad Dog 20/20 and a bottle of Cactus Jack Apple Schnapps.

And it agreed to grant the personal licence after police revealed that the only incidents they had to attend at the shop in recent months were when Mr Kumar himself had alerted them to adults trying to buy alcohol for youths gathered outside.

Mr Kumar told the board: “I learned my lesson and I will always try to contact the police when I see anything happening in the shop.”

Councillor John McMillan, chairing the board, told Mr Kumar: “It is a hard lesson, a difficult lesson but an important lesson.

“We wish you well and hope we do not see you again on any matters relating to this.”