THE company in charge of a York home improvement store will have to pay up £6,000 after selling fireworks to a 15-year-old boy.

Homebase, in Foss Bank, was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £3,019 court costs after being convicted at a trial at Selby Magistrates Court.

Trading standards officers watched Stephen Wilson, deputy manager, sell a box of fireworks to a teenager taking part in City of York Council's test purchase scheme in October last year.

Homebase was one of 14 York stores tested, and the only one to illegally sell fireworks.

Selby magistrates court heard Mr Wilson accepted a caution for his part in the sale, but Homebase declined.

Prosecuting, Tony Stevenson said the boy was not asked his age or to show ID.

He said Trading Standards had suggested a scheme to retailers whereby anyone who appeared under 21 was asked to show ID. Homebase declined to take part.

He said it also decided not to implement a "refusal book", recording firework sales refused to underage people.

Mr Stevenson said there were discrepancies in Mr Wilson's training record, with sessions not being recorded. He said the records were "shoddy" and the training system was "slapdash".

Mr Wilson told the court he was happy with his fireworks training, and sold fireworks to the boy because he appeared over 18.

He said: "He (the boy) did not show any of the usual characteristics of someone trying to buy them underage, like being fidgety or avoiding looking you in the eye."

For Homebase, Richard Carlson offered the defence of due diligence.

"The fault of somebody in store is not necessarily the fault of the company," he said.

"Mr Wilson knew what the rules (for selling fireworks) were.

"He made a mistake, obviously a costly one, but a genuine one."

Presiding magistrate Ruth Bundy said: "We find that Homebase has made some efforts to stop the sales of fireworks to underage persons but their efforts must be both reasonable and diligent. Clearly, they could not be said to have done nothing.

"The record keeping was poor by any standards, and we have not heard of any sanctions carried out against Mr Wilson or other managers by the company for failing to keep records up to date.

"These records were there for those in authority to see and inspect and if this had been done their awareness of these inadequacies would have been evident.

"The lack of a refusals book we find surprising, when it could clearly add to the company's safety procedures and we do not find that the company's explanation of its policy on this matter to be reasonable or diligent."

Updated: 10:41 Monday, November 14, 2005