By Grimsby convenience shop which sold stolen goods to retain its license – for the time being
A Grimsby convenience shop which has been the centre of several controversies over the years will retain its license for the time being, it was decided in a council meeting yesterday.
The owner of the Cartergate News and Wine shop, Thambiah Rameshkumar, made an application on 12 January this year to transfer the license over to his wife, but withdrew it on 5 February.
Two days before the hearing yesterday, two further identical applications were made by Mr Rameshkumar for the same purpose, along with a written request by his legal representatives to adjourn the hearing pending the outcome of the applications.
Members of the planning sub-committee agreed to this and the hearing was adjourned to a date in the near future, to allow the new applications to be resolved.
Mr Rameshkumar pictured above (Source – Facebook)
A representative of Humberside Police said: “It’s respectfully submitted that these very late in the day applications are nothing but an attempt to frustrate the review process.
“This is not a case where the premises has been sold to a separate individual or entity. The transfer is to the respondent’s wife and the reason that that is a concern is that Mrs Rameshkumar was the owner of the premises through all of the incidents that triggered reviews in 2009 and the most recent incidents in November and December of last year.”
The representative of Mr Rameshkumar, David Dodds, objected to the accusations of attempting to “frustrate” the review process, branding them “incorrect in law” and “misleading”.
In November last year, Humberside Police were made aware of Mr Rameshkumar selling stolen items in his shop. A man, thought to be homeless, would steal items including John West tuna multipacks from Poundland and sell them on to Rameshkumar.
When confronted by police, he admitted to purchasing the items knowing that they were stolen.
In 2009, the shop came under fire when it was revealed that alcohol was being sold to children as young as 12 years old, resulting in a spout of anti-social behaviour taking place close to St. James’ Church.
Two years later, another meeting was held with regards to accusations that the shop was selling alcohol to drunk members of the public.
In 2019, an incident took place in which a member of staff at the shop struck a customer over the head with a claw hammer when they were attempting to purchase alcohol.
When police visited the shop for a follow-up interview to this incident, they noticed a full sized cricket bat and ornamental sword behind the counter.
Another meeting on the license of the Grimsby convenience shop is set to take place towards the end of April.
