Victor Lewis, a director of Sightguard Security Ltd, has been ordered to pay over £10,000 following an order under the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA).
The order is the result of the first independent confiscation order the Security Industry Authority (SIA) have pursued under the PoCA and follows on from a prosecution back in December.
This case started back in April 2016, when the SIA received anonymous intelligence that unlicensed security guards were working on the Isle of Wight. Investigators inspected several sites in June 2016 and found an unlicensed security guard, in a Sightguard Security Ltd uniform, at Medina Boatyard in Cowes.
Following the June 2016 inspection, investigators requested more information from Sightguard Security Ltd and scrutinised their signing in sheets. They found another unlicensed security guard who was also working at the same boat yard. Further enquiries also revealed that another unlicensed security guard was carrying out mobile patrols and static security duties elsewhere on the Island.
SIA investigators asked Victor Lewis to provide information under Section 19 of the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001. However, Lewis had falsely claimed that it could not be disclosed as it related to the Ministry of Defence. This was not the case and during the investigation it became clear that this information related to deploying unlicensed guards. As a result, the SIA decided to prosecute the company, Victor Lewis and Anthony Lewis as the director of Sightguard Security Ltd.
At Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday (19th February 2018), Victor Lewis was ordered to pay over £10,000 under the Proceeds of Crime act, fined a total of £750 and ordered to pay costs of £2,500 for supplying unlicensed security operatives and for providing the SIA with false information.
Anthony Lewis, who acted as a director to avoid Sightguard Security Ltd being listed as wound up at Companies House, was fined £75 with costs of £225. Sightguard Security Ltd was handed a nominal fine of £1.
This is not the first time the SIA have investigated Sightguard Security Ltd. In 2013, the company was found supplying unlicensed security operatives and was given an improvement notice to encourage compliance.
Nathan Salmon, Criminal Investigations Manager for the SIA has said:
“Where appropriate we will encourage compliance in the first instance. However despite our efforts to work with Sightguard Security Ltd, they ignored the need to comply.
“The penalties awarded by the court reflect the culpability by the three offenders. Victor Lewis could not act as a director of this company due to a previous Director Disqualification. His son enabled the company to continue trading; however, Victor continued to use unlicensed operatives.
“We will not hesitate to prosecute those who display a blatant contempt for regulation and undermine the confidence and reassurance that regulation provides. In appropriate cases we will also pursue PoCA confiscation orders.”
Anthony Lewis, Victor Lewis and Sightguard Security Ltd all pleaded guilty to employing unlicensed guards. Victor Lewis also pleaded guilty to employing unlicensed guards and to providing false information to the SIA.
