80yo charged for selling home-brew

An 80-year-old man ended up in court this week, charged with selling his home-brew whisky and bourbon.

Edwin Wilson appeared in Hastings District Court but entered no plea to seven charges relating to selling liquor without a licence. He allegedly sold bottles of spirits to an undercover policewoman in April, the Dominion Post reported.

Under the Sale of Liquor Act, you must be licensed to sell beer, wine or spirits to members of the public.

Mr Wilson said he made whisky and bourbon for himself but admitted selling to a "couple of regulars".

However, he had been "threatened" into selling it to other customers, who would steal it otherwise. His garage was broken into earlier this year and 36 bottles of alcohol stolen.

After he sold a bottle of spirits to a woman he did not know in April, two police cars arrived and officers cleared his garage of everything he needed to make alcohol, including two stills.

He said he hoped police would return some of his equipment so he could make "just enough for me".

He is due to reappear in court on July 13.

- NZPA