On-the-run east London ID fraudster sought by police to start jail sentence

A fugitive of justice from east London who has repeatedly failed to appear in court on charges of using fake identity documents is being sought by the police in order to start a nine-month jail sentence.  

On Wednesday, 26 February 2020, at Wood Green Crown Court, Emmanuel Forson was sentenced in his absence to nine months in prison. There is now a warrant out for his imprisonment. Last July a jury at Blackfriars Crown Court unanimously found him guilty in absentia of two counts of possessing documents for an improper purpose, contrary to the Identity Documents Act 2010.   

Forson is a Ghanaian national who applied for a SIA (Security Industry Authority) door supervision licence in September 2017. Part of the application process involves verifying an applicant's identity and their right to work in the UK. Forson sent the SIA a counterfeit UK biometric residence permit, which was detected by SIA decision officers in conjunction with the National Document Fraud Unit.   

SIA investigators contacted the Home Office, who revealed that Mr Forson is in the UK illegally having overstayed his 2007 visa. Despite several attempts by SIA investigators to contact Forson, he failed to attend interviews or cooperate.   

As a result, the SIA proceeded to prosecution.   

Forson then failed to engage with the judicial process, and missed a hearing at Thames Magistrates' Court in September 2018. The Metropolitan Police Service arrested him for a further count of fraud when he tried to open a Metro Bank account in London on 01 February 2019. His arrest was also in relation to the SIA prosecution.   

Nathan Salmon, of the SIA's Criminal Investigations Team, said:   

"Forson was this week sentenced to nine-months imprisonment and now has a criminal record. He is currently evading justice which will make it problematic for him to live legitimately in the UK.   

Forson has been found to behave in a way that is not fit and proper. He is a convicted fraudster who would be unsuitable for the private security industry.  

By his actions he thought he could cheat the system and has repeatedly tried to use fake documents to appear legitimate.  

The SIA works with all government agencies and in this case with the Metropolitan Police Service, the Home Office, the National Document Fraud Unit, HM Visa and Immigration, and the Crown Prosecution Service. We will report back once Forson has been incarcerated."  

Forson has been known to reside in both the London and Luton areas.  Anyone with information on his whereabouts can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.                                                - Ends -

Notes to Editors:

1. 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 the website.
2. All first-time applicants must produce in person either their passport, UK driving licence, original UK birth certificate or UK biometric resident permit card for a face-to-face check.
3. Our digital checks also result in some documents being subject to further inspection using a verification scanner. In addition, in order to apply for a front-line SIA licence you must obtain an approved training qualification which also requires production of identity documents in person.
4. The offences were committed under Section 4 and Section 6 of the Identity Documents Act 2010.

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. The SIA's 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 or to sign up for email updates visit:www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk. The SIA is also on Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (@SIAuk).

The Authority may approve the terms in which a person who is for the time being registered under section 14 as an approved provider of security industry services may hold himself out as so registered