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Security firm watches fines pile up

Security company Sabrewatch and its directors have been ordered to pay fines totaling more than £215,000 for deploying unlicensed security operatives.

Sabrewatch Limited was fined £140,000 at Southwark Crown Court after being found guilty on seven of nine sample counts, according to a statement from the industry watchdog the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

Many other guards were unlawfully deployed around the country, the statement said.
Director and major shareholder Luke Lucas was fined £70,000. The presiding judge said that he “was well aware of his responsibility not to deploy unlicensed guards, had been advised by the SIA prior to the offence date that this would be unlawful, and yet was willing to break the law”.

Directors George Charalambous was fined £3,500 and Anthony Hutchins £2,450. The two did not have the same level of involvement but were prepared to take a chance and risk in breaking the law.

The SIA was awarded costs of £1m at the previous hearing, during which the court also made a confiscation order of £100,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which has been paid by Sabrewatch Ltd.

Judge Rivlin said: “The reasons behind the legislation were obvious to all and were widely accepted within the profession. No one needs to be persuaded that those who are placed in positions of trust should receive basic training and testing to deal with situations and, most importantly, to ensure they are of good character.”

He told the defendants: “You found yourself in the position of telling highly valued and respected customers that guards would not be licensed; these included national names such as Marks and Spencer, Harvey Nichols, Cadbury Schweppes and GAP.

“All three of you levelled criticism at the SIA, and, whereas there were some difficulties with the licensing system, I do believe that as time went on and more witnesses were called, it became increasingly apparent that almost all of the criticisms were contrived and simply evaporated.”

SIA chief executive Bill Butler said he was “pleased with the outcome” of the case and it “confirms our right to prosecute those who commit offences under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and the potential for the courts to issue confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

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