A man has been fined and given a community order after fireworks were stored dangerously at his shop in Southall, putting customers, staff and residents living in flats above the premises at risk of fire or explosion.
Abdullah Hassan, of Lilly Green Lane in Redditch, pleaded guilty to fireworks storage offences at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 October 2026 following an investigation by Ealing Council’s trading standards officers.
Officers inspecting Alpha Digital Systems in Lady Margaret Road in October 2025 found 97kg of fireworks, despite the shop being licensed to store a maximum of 75kg.
The fireworks included more powerful types not covered by the licence and were being kept in different parts of the shop, including areas accessible to customers. Many had not been stored securely or safely.
The court heard that the unsafe storage created a serious risk of fire or explosion.
Hassan was given a 12-month community order requiring 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also fined £769 and ordered to pay £2,000 in court costs and a £308 victim surcharge, totalling £3,077.
Five days after the inspection, a 15-year-old volunteer working with trading standards officers was sold fireworks at the shop without being asked for proof of age, despite the business having been warned about underage sales.
Hassan’s father, Asif Hassan, of Lady Margaret Road, Southall, pleaded guilty to selling fireworks to someone under 18 at a separate hearing on 18 August 2026. He was fined £492 and ordered to pay a £197 victim surcharge.
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “This case involved serious failings that created risks for local people, including families living above the shop, and resulted in fireworks being sold to a child.
“We will continue to take the strongest possible action against businesses that put people at risk.
