On Tuesday 19 January 2021, Lloyd Irwin from Ormskirk was prosecuted for a second time by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court after being found working illegally at Accrington’s The Berkley Club. He pleaded guilty and was fined £184, required to pay court costs of £358.20 and a victim surcharge of £32.
Irwin, who is a former director of Hunter Irwin Security Specialists Ltd (HISS Ltd), was prosecuted initially for working without an SIA licence. He was also charged with supplying unlicensed security officers to The Berkley Club on several occasions during the busy Christmas and New Year period of 2019/2020. His former business was also prosecuted for the supply of unlicensed security. In addition, Irwin altered evidence he submitted to the SIA following a request for information. This is a criminal offence. The business pleaded guilty and was fined £1,000 and required to pay court costs of £358.20 and a victim surcharge of £100.
The case began when an allegation was made that unlicensed security officers were working in Accrington. The SIA responded by inspecting The Berkley Club with the support of Lancashire Police and Hyndburn Council. They found Irwin and Daniel Webb working without a licence.
Having initially pleaded not guilty, Webb pleaded guilty at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on 17 December 2020 for working illegally at The Berkley Club on 18 January 2020. Webb was sentenced to a12-month conditional discharge and is required to pay £100 court costs and a £21 victim surcharge.
When sentencing Webb, the magistrates expressed a hope that he would take on board the lessons from this case and undertake his own research with the SIA in relation to his licensable status.
Pete Easterbrook, the SIA’s Head of Criminal Enforcement, said:
Irwin has been prosecuted again for working unlicensed himself and supplying other unlicensed security staff. The licensing regime is there to keep the public safe, which is particularly important at a night club. Both Irwin and Webb now have criminal records and will not be able to work legally in the private security industry.
Notes to editors:
- by law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence
- information about SIA enforcement and penalties can be found on our website
- the offences relating to the Private Security Industry Act (2001) that are mentioned in the above news release are as follows:
- Daniel Webb – Section 3 (working without a licence)
- Lloyd Irwin – Section 3 (working without a licence); 2 counts of Section 5 (being a director deploying unlicensed guards); 2 counts of Section 22 (providing false information)
- HISS Ltd – 2 counts of Section 5 (deploying unlicensed guards)
- the Private Security Industry Act (2001) is available online via: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/12/contents.
Further information:
- 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. Our main duties are: the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities; and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.
- For further information about the Security Industry Authority visit www.gov.uk/sia. The SIA is also on Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (SIAuk).
- Media enquiries only please contact: 0300 123 9869, media.enquiries@sia.gov.uk
