Sandwell Council’s licensing committee was forced to adjourn a hearing on June 30 over the fate of Best One Store in Market Place, Great Bridge, Tipton, after a Tamil translator could not be secured for the shop’s licence holder, Vincent Shaanmugarajah Thamilnesan. The delay stems from a police investigation into allegations that a staff member stole a winning lottery ticket and failed to pay the correct prize to a customer.
West Midlands Police reported that the victim initially received £30 in winnings for the lottery ticket but later discovered the prize should have been “substantially higher.” The shop, open 24 hours, now faces potential licence revocation.
Translator Issue Halts Proceedings
Duncan Craig, the solicitor representing Mr Thamilnesan, stated that while the shop owner speaks and understands English, a Tamil translator was necessary to ensure proper legal representation. Reform councillor Karl Leech questioned the cost of hiring a translator and suggested the hearing might proceed without one, but after legal advice, the committee agreed to adjourn. The hearing is rescheduled for July 10.
West Midlands Police noted that Mr Thamilnesan had previously been questioned under caution with a translator’s assistance. During the investigation into the alleged theft, he initially told officers he was not the owner of the Great Bridge shop and could not access CCTV footage. However, when interviewed by the same officers a week later, he changed his story.
Missing CCTV and Other Concerns
CCTV footage from the shop, which should have been retained for at least a month, had been recorded over a week earlier. West Midlands Police stated that the missing video “hampered” their investigation into the missing lottery ticket. Additionally, Sandwell Council’s licensing enforcement officers inspected the shop and found that Mr Thamilnesan had not displayed the licence on the premises and was unavailable—along with staff training documents—when requested for inspection.
The council’s licensing enforcement officer expressed “serious concerns” about the shop and urged councillors to consider revoking the licence. The committee will reconvene on July 10 to decide the shop’s fate.
