A ROGUE newsagent who persistently sold alcohol to children as young as 13 was left with a court bill topping £10,000 yesterday.

Jayesh Patel, 53, told the youths to put their bags on the counter then passed bottles of alcohol on the side or through a gap to avoid being caught on his own CCTV, a court heard.

He had already committed 13 offences, including one for the underage sale of alcohol in 2010, Cwmbran Magistrates' Court heard.

Patel was the licensee of B&J Newsagent in Chepstow Road, Newport.

The indebted shopkeeper has since sold his newsagent and moved to London.

Prosecutor Kayleigh Simmons told how a 13-year-old girl was brought home by three police officers after drinking vodka bought at the shop.

She was found drunk in the middle of the street.

She was falling all over herself and had wet herself, Ms Simmons said.

The schoolgirl told she had bought cigarettes from the shop when she was 12 and had never been asked for her age, the court heard.

A 13-year-old boy also passed out on his bathroom floor after drinking vodka he bought at the shop, Ms Simmons said.

The court heard Patel seemed "a bit angry" after the boy put the bottle under his jacket and told him "the camera could have seen it".

The boy was still drunk the following morning and he vomited outside on his patio, Ms Simmons told the court.

He said friends would go there "every day" to buy tobacco, the court heard.

Magistrates also heard how a 15-year-old girl was labelled "a grass" and picked on at school after she told her parents where she had got the alcohol from.

Parents went to confront Patel about the underage sales at his shop but he told them they could not prove it and urged them to call the police.

He was caught after a trading standards sting at the newsagent on February 7.

A 15-year-old test purchaser came into the store and asked for some vodka.

Patel asked the boy which size, to which he replied "the biggest one" and he passed the bottle through a gap, the court heard.

Patel, of Toorack Road, Harrow, London, pleaded guilty to one count of persistently selling alcohol to minors between January 31 and February 21, contrary to the Licensing Act 2003.

He had already pleaded guilty to one count of failing to display his name and address contrary to the Companies Act 2006.

The case was listed for a two-day trial but Patel changed his plea to guilty yesterday.

He represented himself in court and offered no mitigation after entering the guilty plea.

His shop licence had been revoked in April.

Cwmbran magistrate Anne-Marie Corbett also revoked his personal licence.

She ordered him to pay £5,000 for the underage alcohol sales, £700 for failing to display his details and £5,709 costs, plus a £120 surcharge.

Patel said he had debts and expected to spend money for a forthcoming operation on his spine.

He offered to pay £50 a month but after assessing his means JP Corbett ordered him to pay back £250 every month.

Cllr Bob Poole, Newport City Council cabinet member for regulatory functions, said: “Newport City Council is committed to stamping out the sale of alcohol to children, and will not tolerate shops who recklessly sell alcohol to children.

This particular trader showed a complete disregard to the safety of Newport’s children and was willing to sell the strongest drinks without a care as to the consequences.

Mr Patel has seen his premises and personal licence revoked and has been heavily fined; the council hopes this will serve as a deterrent to anybody else thinking of doing the same”.