Waveney District Council has secured a successful prosecution for a proprietor breaking the conditions of his licence and conducting business outside his licensed hours.

At a hearing of Lowestoft Magistrates Court on Wednesday 13 February, Mr Ozkul Karausta, owner of 'Manhattan Pizza,' a late-night take-away in Bridge Road, Oulton Broad, was successfully prosecuted for two offences under s136 Licensing Act 2003. Both offences involved opening outside his licensed hours.

Mr Karausta, who has five previous convictions for the same offence under previous legislation, was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for one year. He was also ordered to do 80 hours unpaid community service and to pay costs.

Councillor Ken Sale, Portfolio Holder for the Built Environment, was delighted with the result: “Premises staying open past their permitted hours have a real impact on the local community and the environment. This is taken very seriously by the Council and evidently has the full support of the Police and the Courts.

“This conviction will convey an important message that those who not adhere to closing times will be dealt with decisively by the Council's Licensing Team. It is important to understand that the conditions detailed on a Licence, including permitted opening hours, are there to meet various Licensing Objectives such as preventing crime and disorder or public nuisance. Those frequenting late-night opening establishments might cause problems for the Police and Environmental Health, particularly when it is long after the permitted closing time."

Acting Chief Inspector Stuart Grimsey of Suffolk Police added:

"It is quite often the case that late night food outlets can be places where we see incidents of alcohol related crime and disorder. We are therefore keen to work with Waveney District Council to ensure that proprietors adhere to their licensed hours of trading and to support a prosecution when premises are found to be repeatedly breaching these conditions."