A Blackburn woman has been found guilty of working as a security director without a holding a licence from the Security Industry Authority. Tracy Brownridge, (26) from Blackburn, was a director of Universal Security Solutions Limited based in Accrington, Lancashire. Yesterday, she appeared at Accrington Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to five counts under Section 3 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001– working without an SIA licence and one count under Section 9 – failing to adhere to licence conditions. During the hearing, the Magistrates were advised that Mrs Brownridge realise...

SectorGuard announces that following shareholder approval obtained at the General Meeting held on 29 June 2009, the name of the Company has today been changed to Legion Group plc.  The Company will trade with that name on AIM, with a new TIDM, 'LGNG', with effect from 2 July. Shareholders are advised that existing share certificates in the name of SectorGuard plc will remain valid, and that any new share certificates which are issued by the Company will be issued in the name of Legion Group plc. In order to reflect the new name, the Company intends to launch a new website which will be foun...

Julie Kenny CBE DL has been appointed as the new vice-chairman of the British Security Industry Association. Julie Kenny has been involved in the BSIA for some 17 years including two stints as Chairman of the Security Equipment Manufacturers Section. Julie is Managing Director of Pyronix Limited, and Chairman, CEO and major shareholder of its parent company Secure Holdings Limited. John Bates, BSIA Chief Executive, comments: "Julie brings to the role within the BSIA a wealth of experience of the private security industry and extensive knowledge of the workings of the Association. As a champi...

London 2012 security planners in the Home Office are inviting members of the security industry to an innovative workshop on national co-ordination. The event, held by the Government's Olympic and Paralympic Security Directorate (OSD), is aimed at raising awareness of Games security planning, and drawing on the widespread experience and expertise in the private sector.. Organisers want to harness industry expertise to highlight any issues that they will face in terms of timescales, procurement, capacity and capability around national co-ordination, to help refine the specification for the pro...

In light of the announcement of the first ever prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter Act, security clients and contractors need to give real consideration to the implications for their relationship, warns leading manned security company Wilson James. Wilson James human resources director Gemma Quirke comments: “The security sector exists to manage and minimise risk so negligence can bring devastating results – and the partnership between security clients and contractors means that both can fall foul of this legislation. Sadly, and perversely, the continuing drive to cut margins amon...

SectorGuard plc, the AIM listed provider of security and fire protection services, is proposing to change the name of the Company to 'Legion Group plc' and to strengthen the Company's balance sheet by the conversion into ordinary shares in the capital of the Company of £1.845 million of indebtedness currently owed to Mark Higgins, the Company's Chief Executive Officer. In a release to the London Stock exchange, SectorGuard Plc (The Company) announced; Change of Name: When the Company acquired Legion Group plc ("Legion Group") in March 2009, the Directors stated an intention to retain t...

The British Security Industry Association has published new advice to Northern Ireland's business community ahead of the introduction of regulation of the security industry. From 1st December 2009, it will be illegal to work in certain designated security roles in Northern Ireland without a licence. This includes working as a contract security officer, door supervisor or a cash-in-transit courier. "Businesses should be ensuring that any contract security officer or door supervisor that works on its premises has a licence from the Security Industry Authority," says BSIA Chief Executive, Joh...

The threat of a terrorist attack is now a very real and serious danger. The traditional view of a terror campaign being targeted at government locations has changed and it is now acknowledged that it is the public which is often the terrorist’s target - in particular crowded locations, such as public transport and shopping centres, where large numbers of people gather, have become key targets. It is essential for those involved with safety and the security industry to have realistic and objective training to confront this threat. Rutherford Training Consultants have tackled this issue and wi...

A man acting as a door supervisor in Bridgend has been fined for working without a licence. Craig David Howe, 21, of Brackla, Bridgend, Mid-Glamorgan, pleaded guilty to the offence (under Section 3 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001) at Bridgend Magistrates Court last week (Tues 19 May). He was fined a total of £475 - a £600 fine which was reduced to £400 for an early guilty plea and £75 in other costs. Police were alerted by staff at a venue in Bridgend, where Howe had been working, as they believed he was unlicensed. Howe had been using a photocopy of another individual’s licen...

A valuable and interesting debate was had around the work and future of the SIA at its annual conference yesterday. SIA vice chairman Robin Dahlberg welcomed delegates to the event -The SIA Journey: Have we gone far enough? held at Manchester Central. The introductory speech was delivered by SIA chairman Baroness Ruth Henig, who spoke on customer services, enforcement activity, and the future of regulation and particularly focused on the importance of stakeholder engagement. She said: "The SIA is not a lone traveller on the road to higher standards. We achieve the most when we work together a...