By Jennifer Cosgrove

THE CONVICTION yesterday of a Dundee man who bought alcohol for an under-age drinker should act as a warning, a police chief has said.

Kevin Lynch, chief inspector of operations for Dundee with Tayside Police, said thanks to Operation Dry-Up, launched at the start of the year, “hotspots” where alcohol is being purchased for youths have been identified and patrolled.

Gary McLennan (27), of the city’s Turnberry Avenue, was sentenced to 80 hours’ community service by Sheriff Alistair Duff at Dundee after admitting that, on April 18, at Cheers, Campfield Square, he bought two bottles of cider for a 15-year-old boy.

The Courier reported last month that adults who buy alcohol for young people from off-licences appear to be the main culprits in Dundee’s under-age drinking crisis.

Campfield Square in Barnhill has been targeted by officers as a suspected under-age drinking hot-spot in the past because of complaints.

A 32-year-old man was caught allegedly buying alcohol for under-18s at the same spot in February and was reported to the procurator fiscal.

Chief Inspector Lynch said, “There were a couple of witnesses standing outside the community centre in Barnhill and youths were approached by this gentleman (McLennan).

“Unfortunately for him, a couple of police officers were on patrol.”

The officers watched the man leave the shop with a bag before handing it over to youths.

Mr Lynch added, “What we’ve identified is a number of routes by which they (the youths) are getting access to alcohol.

“Adults were purchasing alcohol for youths as opposed to kids getting a hold of it themselves.”

He went on to say that, through undercover initiatives such as test purchasing schemes, in which teenage agents visit shops and attempt to buy alcohol, it appeared that the majority of shopkeepers were conforming with licence legislation.

He also said local shopkeepers have complained in the past about youths harassing customers into buying alcohol for them.

He continued, “On this occasion, the vigilance of officers patrolling this hotspot identified this individual and the case was subsequently progressed through the court by the procurator fiscal and a suitable sentence passed.

“This is a message to anyone thinking of buying alcohol for under-age youths.”