Boy's suicide leads to 'rogue' pubs warning

Parish councillors in Telford have declared war on rogue pubs and clubs after a schoolboy aged 15 was allowed to consume alcohol on a night out hours before killing himself.

A meeting of Oakengates Town Council last night heard feelings in the town were running high after the death of Mark Pugh, from Hadley, who died on May 24 after hanging himself from a tree near his home.

Hours earlier, Mark, a father-to-be, had drunk 10 pints of beer and a shot of spirits on a night out in the town.

Telford & Wrekin coroner, recorded that Mark took his own life at an inquest last week and now councillors have vowed to clamp down on licensees.

Councillor Steve Wood said: "As regards licensees in the town, we have tried the carrot approach – we should now adopt the stick."

Extra CCTV, stiffer penalties for rogue licensees, more police spot checks and a restriction on the number of licensed premises in town were all tabled as possible solutions.

But councillors also hit out at Telford & Wrekin Council's licensing department and Telford police, saying both should do more to stamp out the menace of licensees who break the law.

Councillor Allan Maddey said: "Why is it that the licensing team and the police have done nothing to prevent this from happening again given that the boy had been drinking heavily in the town?"

Councillor Wood said communication problems between police and Telford & Wrekin Council were to blame for the licensing issues going undetected.

Chris Ammonds, for Telford police, said: "This was a tragic case and we are working with our partners at the council to look at the possible licensing concerns."

By Tom Johannsen