Unlicensed security operative prosecuted for working illegally
with a cloned licence

On Wednesday 03 May, Ibukun Chiedu Joseph, was handed a six-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months at Westminster Magistrates' Court. The court also ordered Mr Joseph to do 120-hours community service and pay a £128 victim surcharge. Mr Joseph's sentence follows his guilty plea for using a cloned Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence multiple times between June 2021 and January 2022 at NHS premises in North London.

The SIA's investigators were alerted by MNX Security that there was a licence irregularity from a man who was seeking to work for them. 

SIA investigators carried out an inspection of a building where security was deployed in January 2022. They asked Joseph about the licence in his possession, and he ran off straight away leaving behind his shoes, mobile phone and the cloned licence. 

SIA investigators traced the identity of Mr Joseph with the assistance from Home Office Immigration Enforcement. 

Mr Joseph was invited to participate in an interview-under-caution with SIA investigators, but he failed to respond. Mr Joseph's actions left the SIA with no other option than to prosecute him. 

Nicola Bolton, one of the SIA's criminal investigation managers, said:

"The licensing regime is there to protect the public. Mr Joseph chose to work as an unlicensed security operative at NHS premises putting the public at risk by his actions. 

I would like to thank MNX Security who have been instrumental in this prosecution. We are continuing to combat the use of cloned SIA licences and remind industry to conduct thorough due diligence checks on licences of those operatives they deploy. The security features embedded in an SIA licence will help aid employers and they should also request secondary identification documents from the licence holder."             
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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 GOV.UK/SIA. 

The offences listed above under the Fraud Act 2006 are:

Section 2 Fraud Act 2006 - sentenced to 24 weeks' custody suspended sentence

Section 6 Fraud Act 2006 - sentenced to 12 weeks' suspended custody running concurrently 

* How can you tell if a licence is genuine?

As our teams continue their inspection and enforcement operations, we want to remind those who use labour supplied by other parties that they remain responsible for ensuring that the supplied licensed operatives hold a valid and genuine SIA licence. 

You must undertake appropriate due diligence.

We encourage you to use a UV (ultraviolet) light where possible as a quick and easy method to check licences. The SIA licence features several easy-to-check security features. These include:

•  on the front of the licence you should be able to see holograms when the licence is tilted backwards and forwards

•  the expiry date of the licence is embossed on the bottom of the photograph (not printed on) - you should be able to run your finger over the date and feel that it is raised

•  on the back of the licence there is a QR code and a bar code. The bar code should bring up the same licence number as shown on the licence

•  a UV light should reveal `SIA' in the top right and bottom left of the licence when scanned across the front. On older licences there will be a watermark pattern on the back of the licence that can only be revealed by the UV.

•  The address on the rear of the licence should show an `E' post code.

Further information:

The SIA is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK, 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 (ACS). 

For further information about the SIA or to sign up for email updates visit:www.gov.uk/sia. The SIA is also onLinkedIn,Facebook (Security Industry Authority)andTwitter (@SIAuk).

Media enquiriesonlyplease contact:

Security Industry Authority

0300 123 9869

media.enquiries@sia.gov.uk