Parent convicted under new alcohol law

The Press reports:

The mother of a 14-year-old girl hosted alcohol-fuelled parties for her daughter’s friends that ended with under-age teens vomiting and passed out.

Bronwyn Tracey Saunders, 46, supplied alcohol to several teenagers her daughter invited to two parties held at their house late last year.

She was convicted and fined $2000 in the Christchurch District Court this month on six charges of supplying alcohol to minors after parents of the teenagers she bought alcohol for complained to police.

It is the first conviction for supplying alcohol to minors in Canterbury under new liquor laws that came into effect in December 2013. …

Saunders hosted two parties at her house attended by 20 to 30 of her daughter’s friends and on both occasions accepted money from teenagers to buy them alcohol.

In November, her daughter set up a “Year 9 drinks” Facebook group chat and told her friends if any of them wanted alcohol, they needed to give her money and she would pass it on to her mother to buy it.

Saunders’ daughter then met three of her male friends at Christchurch Boys’ High School where they gave her money. Saunders gave them beer and cider at the party the next day.

According to police, several children at the party, including her daughter, were so intoxicated they were vomiting.

That’s appalling parenting – both buying alcohol for all your children’s friends without their parents consent, but also hosting parties where 14 year olds are passing out and vomiting.

Good parents often will allow their children to drink alcohol – in moderation and with supervision. But buying unlimited alcohol for 14 year olds and allowing them to drink themselves unconscious is awful. I’m glad the new law now allows a prosecution.