How police learned about Portsmouth restaurant's illegal boozy late-night karaoke sessions

n Friday, April 28: PC Pete Rackham, licensing officer, is on duty in uniform when he receives a tip-off that unlicensed activities are taking place at Melody.

He gets there at 10.45pm and sees two men in the seated area of the restaurant. A sign on the front door states that the premises is closed. Recorded music and the sound of people singing is heard from inside the restaurant.

Officers from the city council’s licensing service are called and arrive at 11pm. Music is still heard at 11.05pm. PC Rackham goes in each karaoke room, discovering around 10 people in each room.

Occupants are singing along to karaoke with bottles of whisky spotted and people smoking.

Police are told by the customers that they paid £20 each to use the rooms until 6am. Photos are taken of the rooms and of the advert displaying karaoke packages available to customers (see right). Premises licence holder Wei Wei Jin is warned that the establishment is breaking the law.

n Sunday, April 30: PC Rackham drives past Melody and spots the lights on at 12.30am. Music is heard from within the premises but the front door is locked.

PC Rackham asks a member of staff to open the door and occupants are found in all three karaoke rooms. Whisky is on tables and the rooms contain a strong smell of cigarette smoke.

At 12.45pm, Wei Wei Jin attends the premises and is unable to locate the premises licence. She is warned again.

n End of May: PC Jackie Cherry and city council licensing officer Kevin Weeks attend Melody and inform Jin of her licensing requirements, giving her a month’s warning to sort out the establishment.

n Saturday, June 24: PC Rackham attends the premises at midnight. He spots similar activity to the first two visits and two men being sick in a toilet sink.

n Thursday, June 27: Police apply for city council to review the premises licence.