A Peterborough door supervisor has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 for working illegally and breaking SIA licence conditions.
At Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday [23 May], Scott Lee Greensmith was sentenced to a 12 month community service order to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work, and was ordered to pay costs of £7,833.
Greensmith, 32, from Uldale Road, Gunthorpe, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to working without holding a valid Security Industry Authority licence, but pleaded not guilty to breaking licence conditions when he failed to return his revoked licence to the SIA.
Greensmith was found working illegally in September 2011 when SIA investigators carried out a series of inspections across the UK. Greensmith was found working with a revoked licence at a bar in March, Cambridgeshire.
In court, District Judge Ken Sheraton found Greensmith guilty of breaking licence conditions because he failed to demonstrate that he had undertaken all due diligence to avoid contravening the conditions of his licence.
SIA Head of Investigation Nathan Salmon said:
"Mr Greensmith had his SIA licence revoked and was aware of the SIA’s revocation process and he continued to operate as a door supervisor. By avoiding the reality of his situation, Greensmith has paid a high penalty. I hope this sentence will act as a warning to others that in order to work as a door supervisor you must be correctly licensed and adhere to the licence conditions at all times.
"We will be carrying out a series of follow up checks at licensed premises in Cambridgeshire over the next few weeks. The aim is to raise awareness of SIA licence requirements for those working in the night time economy and to remind them, their employers and the venues they work at of their legal responsibilities."
Notes to Editors:
- Details regarding the September 2011 SIA operation can be found here: www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/about-news.aspx?newsid=279
- The Security Industry Authority is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom, reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA’s main duties are: the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities; and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.
- The SIA is working in consultation with the industry to draw up plans for a "phased transition to a new regulatory regime" announced by the Government in 2010. Future regulation is subject to approval by Parliament and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Scotland, but focuses on the licensing of businesses.
It remains a criminal offence for security operatives and those deploying them to work in licensable activities without a valid SIA licence. The SIA and our partners continue to ensure that the law is properly enforced.
- There is a section on the SIA website dedicated to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/olympics
- For further information about the Security Industry Authority or to sign up for email updates visit www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk. The SIA is also on Facebook
(Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (SIAuk).