A Brighton shopkeeper denied having bought stolen wine from street drinkers at a review to decide whether he should lose his licence to sell alcoholic drinks.
Melad Sitt, who runs Churchill’s Supermarket, in Air Street, Brighton, said that he was looking after the 10 bottles of wine for a friend, Dean Goodwin.
And the money that he gave Mr Goodwin was to “help him out” – to pay for a taxi so that he could take his partner home because she was “a little intoxicated”.
Mr Sitt said that he was trying to unload his car at the time and watching out for traffic wardens when an argument started outside his shop near the Clock Tower.
In what was described as “a stressful situation”, a staff member mistakenly put the wine on the display shelves rather than in a stock room because of a misunderstanding, he said.
Sussex Police, whose officers were passing by, said in a statement: “The attending police officers’ conclusion from the short amount of time they were in the store is that it was very apparent that Mr Sitt purchases wine/alcohol from the street community.
“The people stood outside waiting to come in are known shoplifters who steal in order to fund their drug or alcohol habits.”
No evidence was presented in public at the hearing to support the claim made in the police statement that the wine was stolen other than unsubstantiated references to police intelligence.
The review hearing – a “virtual” licensing panel held by Brighton and Hove City Council – went into closed session without going through the proper legal process for doing so.
It is understood that security camera footage handed over by Mr Sitt was then shown in secret to the panel.
And Mr Goodwin denied being a shoplifter in a sworn statement: “I object in the strongest possible terms to the police statement as I with my partner were outside the shop.”
He said that the police did not know his identity and he is understood not to have any convictions for theft or drinks or drugs offences.
Peter Savill, for Sussex Police, told the three-member panel: “Intelligence arose in early January this year connecting these premises with the sale of stolen alcohol.”
The review was not told of any further action or evidence until unnamed officers saw a car parked in North Street at about 11.45am on Sunday 7 June.
The police statement said: “When officers started to check the vehicle, an irate female came from Churchill’s Supermarket followed by a male and walked past the officers.
“They were both arguing about a £20 note which the male had in his pocket and the female was saying it was hers.
