COURT fines imposed on pubs and nightclubs for beaching their licensing terms have surged by more than a fifth in the past year.

Licensed premises across the north racked up almost 300 fines totalling more than £110,000 in the past four years.

More than £23,300 in fines were given out during 2015 – an increase of more than 22 per cent on the £19,110 in fines imposed last year.

Pubs were punished for offences such as alcohol being sold outside permitted hours, failing to allow police to enter premises and selling alcohol to minors.

Almost 300 'penalty points' have also been issued to bars and nightclubs since 2012 under a new system introduced to tackle underage drinking.

Premises that receive 10 points within three years face having their licence revoked for up to three months.

A total of 28 bars have been sanctioned with penalty points since the scheme was introduced in 2012, the majority for alcohol being sold outside permitted hours.

Court fines peaked during 2012 at more than £37,000, while 2013 had the largest number of individual fines at 103.

Licensed premises in Co Tyrone received the most fines, with 113 individual penalties totalling almost £50,000.

The Black Cat Cove in Belleek, Co Fermanagh, received the most penalty points during 2015 with a total of 20 imposed for issues including alcohol being sold outside permitted hours.

The pub with largest number of penalty points was Quinn's Bar in Cookstown, Co Tyrone. In 2013 it was given 70 penalty points for 14 offences of selling alcohol outside its licensed hours.

The pub was fined £1,140 and received a two-week licence suspension.

Five bars were also fined in total almost £2,000 over the past two years for failing to allow police to enter their premises.

One pub in the Craigavon area was fined £200 for selling alcohol to a minor, according to a freedom of information request.

Another two licensed premises in the Belfast and Banbridge areas were fined £765 in total for 'delivering intoxicating liquor to a minor'.

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:: Number of penalty points given to pubs since 2012

Quinn's Bar, Cookstown, Co Tyrone – 70

Black Cat Cove, Belleek, Co Fermanagh – 30

Rendezvous Bar, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone – 15

Smuggler's Inn, Strabane, Co Tyrone – 12

Tavern Bar, Dungiven, Co Tyrone – 12

Boe Inn, Dromore, Co Tyrone – 10

Coach Inn, Main Street, Maguiresbridge – 10

Devlins Bar, Armagh – 10

Irish National Forresters, Cookstown, Co Tyrone – 10

Oasis Bar, Magheraveely, Co Fermanagh – 10

Anglers Inn, Castlederg, Co Tyrone – 9

Big Johns Bar, Sion Mills, Co Tyrone – 6

Corner House, Cloughmills, Co Antrim – 6

Eglinton Hotel, Portrush, Co Antrim – 6

Lennons Bar, Middletown, Co Armagh – 6

Poet's Bar, Fintona, Co Tyrone – 6

Quinns Bar, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone – 6

Sportsman Bar, Feeny, Co Derry – 6

Tiffy's Bar, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone – 6

Banjo's Bar, Dungiven, Co Derry – 5

Bridge Bar, Dunloy, Co Antrim – 5

Classic Bar, Strabane, Co Tyrone – 5

O'Tooles Bar, Armagh – 5

Pat's Bar, Portglenone, Co Antrim – 5

Prospect Bar, Strabane, Co Tyrone – 5

Roundhouse Bar, Downpatrick, Co Down – 5

Shiels Bar, Tassagh, Co Armagh – 5

The First and Last, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone – 5