A pizza takeaway owner has been slapped with more than £1,000 in court costs after selling a £5 e-cigarette to a child.

Antonio Baker Versace, who runs Mario's Pizza on Royal Wootton Bassett High Street, illegally sold the 15-year-old volunteer the £5 Pink Grapefruit Lost Mary device in a test purchase at the takeaway which is also an off-licence.

Versace, also known as Mario Tony Baran, failed to ask the teenager for identification or proof of age.

The 55-year-old Bournemouth resident was taken to Salisbury Magistrates Court by Wiltshire Council on Tuesday, where he was slapped with a £293 fine having pleaded guilty to one count of selling a nicotine inhaling product to a person aged under 18.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay costs of £700 and a victim surcharge £117.

Wiltshire Trading Standards has recently seen a large increase in the number of complaints of vaping products being sold to children.

Cllr Nick Holder, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection said: “There is a growing concern amongst our Trading Standards officers about e-cigarettes being sold to underage children.

"This prosecution shows that we are acting on our Business Plan commitment to safeguard our residents from harm and tackle businesses that aren’t complying with the law.

“Vapes are being sold at pocket money prices, in bright packaging and flavours which young people will find appealing.

"Unfortunately, promotion on social media channels has also helped to make these products more visible. 

"We encourage people to report the sale of age-restricted products to children by calling Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133”.

In 2022, the same establishment was raided and more than £1,000 worth of suspected illegal vape products were seized. 

Police carried out a drugs search of Mario's Pizza and Off Licence, on April 23, of that year, and left with three bags full of what they suspect were unlawful vape goods that were being sold from the business. 

"Officers from Royal Wootton Bassett Police Station carried out the search, recovering the items and removing them from sale," police confirmed in a statement. 

The restaurant was referred to Trading Standards by police for further investigation. 

The takeaway is open until the early hours of the morning seven days a week. 

A blurb on its website says: "We look forward to serving you and providing a memorable dishes experience that will leave you wanting more."