By Paul Reoch

A PERTH councillor has expressed alarm that children as young as 13 have been caught drinking in Perthshire.

As a result of western division’s Festive Homesafe campaign, The Courier can reveal that 66 litres of alcohol was confiscated in Scone, Stanley, Kinross, Crieff and the Craigie area of Perth between December 5 and January 2, as part of the force’s clampdown on anti-social behaviour.

Last night Alistair Barr, convener of Perth and Kinross Council community safety committee, said he was dismayed by the trend of under-age drinking. Two evening patrols in September resulted in a haul of 96 litres.

Councillor Barr said last night, “It is quite shocking and wholly unacceptable that young, under-age teenagers are being supplied with alcohol. This is an issue that the Community Safety Partnership will continue to address.

“Excessive use of alcohol, by people of all ages, can have social and health implications and I commend the police for their crackdown.”

Chief Superintendent Matt Hamilton said, “These finds were from a mix of youngsters right across Perthshire, and it’s a big issue.

“The problem is that it’s not just teenagers who are drinking illegally but adults who are supplying it to under-age drinkers.”

He detailed the ages of the people concerned in the statistics: there was one of 13, one of 14, a few 16 and 17-year-olds and several adults, who were buying alcohol for the youngsters.

Mr Barr issued a warning for shop-owners who continue to sell alcohol to under-age drinkers.

He said, “I believe that retailers are getting the message about not selling alcohol to under-age people.

“However the irresponsible few are turning a blind eye to the letter of the law. I would like to remind those irresponsible traders that, with the continuing assistance of the council’s trading standards officers, we will endeavour to take the appropriate steps against such practices.

“We should also remember that over the festive season many households purchase more alcohol than would normally be the case, and it may be that young people have ‘acquired’ some from the parental home.

“I hope that the parents of those youngsters concerned, and indeed all parents, will be more careful in future.”

The problem of under-age drinking has been identified through Perth police having access to intelligence which traces locations that are used by youngsters as “drinking dens.”

Inspector Jim Leslie, of western division, said, “This lets us know where youths go to drink, whether this is a park, school grounds or other open areas.

“There is a clear link between youngsters abusing alcohol and subsequent anti-social behaviour such as vandalism or breaches of the peace, and we are determined to break this link.”