On 15 January 2018, at Doncaster Magistrates Court, Leslie Fitzakerley of the dissolved company Diamond Security was found guilty of supplying unlicensed door supervisors.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) began investigating Fitzakerley in April 2017 when they received intelligence from South Yorkshire Police that Fitzakerley, who was a sole trader under the name of Diamond Security, had supplied a seventeen-year-old to work as a door supervisor on 2 occasions.
Whilst conducting licensing checks in September 2016 South Yorkshire Police discovered the seventeen-year-old working as a door supervisor at a hotel and bar venue in Bennetthorpe, Doncaster. They again found him working whilst in possession of a SIA forged licence in December 2016 in Cleveland Street, Doncaster.
South Yorkshire Police contacted the SIA with this information, and the SIA Criminal Investigation Team examined the case further.
In May 2017, Fitzakerley was sent a formal request for information in relation to the unlicensed door supervisors. However, he failed to provide this, which is an offence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA).
The SIA investigation also discovered that Fitzakerley had supplied a further security operative working as a door supervisor on a security guarding licence in October 2016 at another licenced premises on Silver Street, Doncaster.
Fitzakerley was prosecuted by the SIA and entered a guilty plea on 1st appearance at the Magistrates Court. He was fined £400 in total for supplying an unlicensed security operative and failing to provide information. He was ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £560.
Pete Easterbrook, SIA criminal investigations manager, said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working with the South Yorkshire Police Licensing Team, culminating in the successful prosecution of an individual and company supplying unlicensed and untrained door supervisors in the Doncaster area.
The Court took into account the fact that Fitzakerley pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. As a result, the district judge awarded Fitzakerley maximum credit and this is reflected in the sentence received.”