A SHOPKEEPER who sold alcohol to underage boys is facing jail after trying to intimidate one of them to prevent him giving evidence against him.

Convicted sex offender Mohammed Bux, who worked at the former Spar shop at Preston Old Road, Feniscowles, will be sentenced next month after being found guilty of contacting one of the witnesses before the case came to court.

Earlier this year Bux was banned from working in the shop, which is owned by his father, after he began inducing young girls with cigarettes and alcohol.

Bux, who was placed on the sex offenders register in 2003 after being sentenced to 12 months in prison for indecent assault, was made subject of an interim Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

This banned him from associating with people under 18 or acting in a way that may cause fear of sexual harm.

Bux, 26, also pleaded not guilty to one offence of selling alcohol to minors contrary to section 143 of the Licensing Act 2003 when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates. He was found guilty and fined him £150, with £150 costs and £15 towards a fund for the victims of crime.

The court heard that on May 4 earlier this year, two 15 year old boys entered the shop around 7.35pm and bought eight cans of Carlsberg lager from Bux, for which they were charged £10.

Bux told the boys to put the cans under their tops in case they were seen.

A trading standards officer from Blackburn with Darwen Council and a police officer were watching the shop. They saw the boys go in empty handed and leave clearly carrying something. They immediately interviewed Bux who denied the sale and made no mention of the boys.

In court witnesses gave evidence in support of the sale. Bux told the court that he remembered the boys, that they had placed the cans on the counter and he had refused to sell them asking them for id.

He said he had placed the cans behind the counter for their return and produced a "refusals record" which purported to show that he had refused the sale, which he did not produce to the two officers immediately after the incident.

The court refused to accept his evidence and found that he had sold the cans and therefore committed the offence.

Bux will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court next month in relation to the witness intimidation charge.

Speaking after the court case, Councillor John Slater, executive member for citizens and consumer rights, said he was disappointed with the fine, but understood the magistrates had limited powers.

"I'm pleased with the conviction and this does send out a strong message to anyone thinking of selling alcohol to under age children that we will clamp down on you and you will face sanctions," he said.

PC Lisa Walmsley, of Lancashire Constabulary added: "Thanks to information we received from local residents in the Feniscowles area, we were able to take action against this man."

Anyone with information about under age sales can pass on information in confidence and anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or the Council's Calltime line 08456 066607.