A company director from Speke, identified as Paul Skyner, has been prosecuted for working without a valid Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence. This case was brought before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 17.

Mr. Skyner pleaded guilty to the charge of working illegally within the Wirral’s nighttime economy. As a result, the court imposed a fine of £540, along with a victim surcharge of £216, and prosecution costs amounting to £1,000.

The SIA initiated the prosecution following a collaborative operation conducted in conjunction with Merseyside Police and Wirral Council’s licensing department. This operation, conducted on January 13, 2023, involved routine licence checks within the Wirral’s nighttime economy.

During the operation, investigators visited a bar and identified two licensed door supervisors on duty. Upon further examination, it was discovered that these supervisors were deployed by the Liverpool-based company, Azure Security Ltd, of which Mr. Skyner was the sole director.

Investigations revealed from the venue’s signing-in book that Paul Skyner had worked at the establishment on December 23, 2022, while his SIA licence had expired on December 20, 2022. Notably, he had not taken any steps to renew his licence prior to its expiration. By law, Mr. Skyner was required to be licensed to deploy staff due to his position as a company director of a security business.

On June 8, 2023, Paul Skyner was interviewed under caution by SIA criminal investigators at Merseyside Police’s Speke Police Station. During the interview, he admitted to working illegally in the private security industry. He also confessed to being unaware of the licensing requirement for supplying security services from his business.

Nicola Bolton, one of the SIA’s Criminal Investigations Managers, emphasized the responsibility that directors bear to understand the legal requirements when deploying staff within the private security industry. She stated, “Mr. Skyner was prosecuted for working one night illegally during the run-up to Christmas and for supplying two door supervisors to a Wirral bar in January 2023. By doing so, he put the public at risk. He has pleaded guilty and he now has a criminal record.

The Security Industry Authority, the regulatory body responsible for overseeing the private security industry in the UK, mandates that security operatives working under contract must possess and display a valid SIA licence. Violations of this requirement are subject to enforcement and penalties under the Private Security Industry Act 2001.

For more information about the Security Industry Authority, its regulations, and updates, please visit www.gov.uk/sia. You can also connect with the SIA on LinkedIn, Facebook (Security Industry Authority), and Twitter (@SIAuk).