A York company director must pay £40,000 or he faces 18 months in prison.
Christopher Downes, of Wetherby Road, Acomb, was a director of F1 Security Services. But he was working without the necessary licence from the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Interviewed by SIA investigators, he admitted working as a director without any type of SIA licence and failing to notify the SIA within a reasonable time of a previous conviction.
Related
The SIA investigation identified that Downes’ previous SIA licence had expired on 24 September 2017. From that time until April 2020 he continued to direct the company while unlicensed. He supplied security industry services to a number of clients.
Downes appeared at York Crown Court on Friday 11 June and was ordered to pay £20,000 within six weeks.
He must also pay another £20,000 within six months or he faces 18 months in prison.
The court’s Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) order follows Downes’ conviction at York Crown Court on 11 February 2021.
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]
The court gave Downes a 60-hour community order, which he must complete within 18 months. He was also required to pay prosecution costs of £2,735 within six weeks plus a victim surcharge.
Nathan Salmon, the SIA’s Criminal Investigations Manager, said: “Downes profited significantly from working illegally in the private security industry. His actions demonstrated that he was not fit and proper to work in the industry.
“The court order will help to redress the imbalance that operating illegally has on the private security market. The confiscation demonstrates that crime does not pay. Downes has a criminal record and a significant financial penalty to pay.”