COMMENTARY ON SECTIONS PART 7: Offences. Section 150 – Consumption of alcohol by children
238.Subsection (1) makes it an offence for a child knowingly to consume alcohol on relevant premises (see the definition in section 159). The offence will thus not be committed if the child inadvertently consumes the alcohol, for example if his drink is spiked. Subsection (2) also makes it an offence knowingly to allow the consumption of alcohol by a child on relevant premises. Subsection (3) sets out the categories of person who may commit this offence. These include any person who works at the premises in a capacity that gives him the authority to prevent the consumption and, in the case of a supply by a club, to any officer or member of a club who is present at the time of the consumption in a capacity which allows him to prevent it. Subsection (4) provides that the offences in this section will not be committed where a 16 or 17-year-old consumes beer, wine or cider with a table meal (see the definition in section 159) in circumstances where he is accompanied by an adult.