Black Country News: Drunks filmed by secret cops; SANDWELL: Blitz on bar staff who serve inebriated customers.

Byline: By Tony Deeley

UNDERCOVER police officers are filming in Sandwell pubs this Christmas in a crackdown on licensees and staff who serve drunken customers.

Offenders caught on camera will be hit in the pocket through fixed penalty fines.

The filming, by plain-clothed officers, is being run alongside a Sandwell Council initiative to pinpoint shopkeepers who sell alcohol to young people.

Any premises reviewed by the licensing committee as a result of problems could be forced to put labels bearing their name and address on all alcohol goods sold.

Fixed penalties issued for alcohol-related disorder across Sandwell have increased from 262 last year to 286 so far in 2007.

The borough of Sandwell's lead officer on licensing, Insp Pat Smythe, said pounds 80 fixed penalty tickets would be issued to licensees and staff in the crackdown on pub drunkenness.

The customers involved would also be issued with on-the-spot fines or taken to court.

"It is hoped that this will reduce the number of incidents of disorder which are particularly prevalent at this time of year as a result of binge drinking."

Insp Smythe added that the labelling measure imposed on off-licences caught selling alcohol under-age would assist the council's street cleaning, parks and other departments to identify those responsible for alcohol litter.

"It will also help wardens and police officers when they stop people drinking in the street, especially those under age," he said.

Insp Smythe said police and trading standards officers had put Sandwell well ahead of all other metropolitan boroughs nationwide with the number of problem licensed premises taken to review by its licensing committee.