Pub landlord served lager to Hector Eccles, 16, who later died in crash

A pub landlord served lager to an underage teen who later died in a horror drink-driving crash . Anthony Wiazcek gave Hector Eccles, 16, five pints of the beverage at his pub, despite knowing he was underage. A court heard Mr Eccles, a young farmer, then got into his quad bike with a pal and lost control, smashing into a field. Paramedics were called but, despite their best efforts, they were unable to save the boy. Wiazcek, the only person behind the bar that night, was today convicted of selling alcohol to a person under 18 and handed a fine of £660. His personal alcohol licence has also been suspended for three months. Burnley Magistrates' Court heard Wiazcek had known Hector since he was a child, previously taking him to football matches when he was younger, and knew he was under 18. Despite this, the 65-year-old landlord served him at the Roggerham Gate pub in the Lancashire town on March 30, 2024. A 17-year-old man, from Burnley, who was also riding on bike was not seriously injured. Wiazcek, 65, who was the premises licence holder and the Designated Premises Supervisor at the time, was soon charged with selling alcohol to a person under 18. Following a two-day trial, he was convicted and, in addition to the fine, was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £264 and £650 towards prosecution costs. In an emotional victim personal statement Hector's mum Wendy Eccles said her life has been "destroyed beyond repair". She said: "The day Hector died I died with him. We don't live our lives now we just exist. "How do you carry on when your whole world has been taken from you in one night due to lack of duty of care? And you know that this could have been avoided if duty of care was practised that night." She added: "Hector never got the chance to take his GCSEs, never attending his school prom. We are having to live through the milestones, watching his friends grow and achieve things, forever thinking what would Hector be doing now. "I am just a hollow shell wanting my old life back every minute of every day. I have gone from loving my life to just watching the clock waiting for the day to be over. "When I go into Hector's bedroom, I feel every bit of grief flowing through my body I feel panic like you can't imagine knowing that he's not coming home. Every morning I wake up and feel like I have been hit by a train. "I don't like going out of the house seeing people I just walk looking at the floor hoping people won't stop me. Hector's dad has never slept more than an hour since that terrible morning. "He didn't come to bed to twelve months just stayed in the chair which resulted him to have slip disks in his back and lost two stone in weight. Which resulted to medical attention being needed. "I can never go out of the house when children are going to school and coming home from school as I just break down thinking that should be my boy. Hector was a happy schoolboy loving life. "How can we carry on building up a business like we have for years for Hector? As farming was all Hector wanted to do and was extremely passionate about it. How do we carry on seeing other boys doing Hector's job. My heart had been smashed and will never be repaired." Steve Dundon, Licensing Sergeant for Burnley, Rossendale, Pendle and Ribble Valley, said he "welcomed" the outcome of the trial. He said: "Whilst nothing will bring back Hector, this incident serves to highlight the reasons the sale of alcohol is strictly controlled and the consequences that can follow irresponsible sale. "We will continue to work proactively with licensed premises to ensure compliance, and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action where those responsibilities are ignored."