Ariana News on Oxford Road was put to task by Reading Borough Council at a hearing on Thursday

Ariana News on Oxford Road failed to convince councillors, police and immigration officers at a hearing on January 11.

A 25-year-old Afghan man was found working at the shop in October and he was detained after giving a false statement.

It was not the first time the shop had been called into question after 84 bottles of duty diverted alcohol and the fake bottles of champagne were discovered in 2013.

Richard French, part of the council's Licensing team, said: "The employment of illegal workers is to be regarded as a crime that should be taken particularly seriously and that revocation of the premises licence - even in the first instance - should be seriously considered.

"Thames Valley Police received a number of reports that the premises was selling alcohol to street drinkers and potentially other individuals who may be intoxicated.

"Officers noted that a group of individuals were openly drinking in the car park on the left hand side of the premises and that the area was being used for street drinkers to congregate.

"Allowing this premises to continue to operate with the benefit of a premises licence will merely serve to perpetuate the criminal activity and human exploitation already apparent.

"The only appropriate and proportionate step to promote the licensing objectives and safeguard the public as a whole, is for the licence to be revoked."

Further breaches of the licence included inadequate CCTV and staff training and the current licence holder Mohammad Seyed Ashrafi was unable to give good reason for the offences.

Immigration Enforcement confirmed the Afghan man had no right to work in the UK and had not been asked by his manager to provide any documents after entering the country illegally.

Ariana News had its licence reviewed and suspended in May 2009 after failing age related test purchases.

Mr Ashrafi has the right to appeal the decision made by the council's Licensing Applications Sub Committee.