A shop owner who claimed his staff began selling illegal goods while he was out of the country now wants one of those members of staff to run the business.
In June, Mohammed Jamal was stripped of his licence to sell alcohol at his two Bradford stores – Lynxes on Sunbridge Road and another branch on Kirkgate.
The revocation came after Trading Standards raids at the two stores in April, raids that uncovered counterfeit tobacco.
Officers also found throwing knives in the Sunbridge Road store.
Appearing before a Bradford Council Licensing Panel in June, Mr Jamal had been in Iran between February 17 to April 18 – the period the raids took place.
He said “trusted staff” had run the two stores in his absence, and claimed it had been their decision to sell illegal products while he was not around – not his.
He has already appealed the decision to strip him of the two licences, and those appeals will be heard in Magistrates Court next month.
Lynxes on Sunbridge Road (Image: T&A)
But now he has also applied for the licence of the Sunbridge Road store to be transferred to Oliwia Talarek.
Ms Talarek is a member of staff at Lynxes that was present during the raids in Spring.
Members of the Licensing Panel will decide whether to allow her to take on the licence at a meeting on Tuesday.
Police have objected to the plans, saying Ms Talarek has a “significant connection” to the business when it was found to be selling illegal tobacco.
A letter from Police to Bradford Council says: “West Yorkshire Police object to the applications because the applicant has a direct and significant connection to the operation of the premises during the period that gave rise to the review proceedings and subsequent revocation.
“Evidence before the Licensing Panel included a witness statement from Trading Standards dated April 10, confirming that Oliwia Talarek was present and working at Lynxes Spirits during the Trading Standards operation conducted on April 8. At this time, she was employed by Mohammed Jamal and was involved in the operation of the business.
“During the review hearing, Mohammed Jamal maintained that he had been out of the country when the illicit products were discovered and asserted that he had no knowledge of their presence at either premises.
“If that explanation is accepted, responsibility for the operation and management of the businesses during his absence necessarily rests with those individuals who were running the day-to-day activities at the time.
“The proposed transferee and designated premises supervisor was one such individual. West Yorkshire Police therefore have serious concerns regarding the extent of the applicant's involvement in the operation of the premises during the period when unlawful activity was occurring.”
The meeting takes place in City Hall on Tuesday.