Retailer Eason has been spared a criminal conviction for selling cigarettes to a minor.
The company had earlier pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to a charge under the Public Health Tobacco Act for selling a tobacco product to a person under 18 at its shop in the Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords.
The prosecution brought by the Health Service Executive was finalised yesterday. Solicitor Adrian Lennon, for the HSE, confirmed to Judge John O’Neill the company had complied with his order in September to donate €1,000 to suicide-prevention charity Pieta House and to pay €1,230 in prosecution costs. Judge O’Neill struck out the charge.
Earlier, the court had been told the offence was committed on May 6th last but the company was co-operative with the HSE and gave advance notice it intended to plead guilty. Mr Lennon also told the court the company had no prior convictions.
Judge O’Neill had noted from the defence Eason had set up procedures to prevent such a sale happening again. These included refresher training and “till prompts” to remind sales assistants.