'Professional agent provocateur'unleashed

The youth enters shops and attempts to buy cigarettes and the results are monitored by a nearby adult.

Similar schemes have been running for several years and in the latest round of action 13 premises were visited in Moyle and all were compliant with the law on the sale of age restricted goods.

In seven premises lighter refills were refused and in six others cigarettes were withheld from the child.

Independent councillor Randal McDonnell said using a young person for such a scheme is a “form of child abuse” to be turning a young person into an “agent provocateur’.

Council officer Peter Mawdsley said the child taking part was not forced to do so and nor were they an agent provocateur.

Council Vice-Chairperson, DUP councillor Robert McIlroy, said Cllr McDonnell had raised the issue before.

Mr Mawdsley said the child has been used for a number of similar exercises in a number of council areas which prompted Sinn Fein councillor Oliver McMullan to say the youngster was therefore a “professional agent provocateur”.

Cllr McIlroy called on councillors to be serious about the issue and SDLP councillor Madeline Black said the serious thing was that nobody sold items to the child.