Red Rose directors and security guards plead guilty

February 10, 2016

On Thursday 4 February, at Accrington Magistrates Court, Robert and Katherine Taylor (directors) and Paul Dickinson of Red Rose Select Services Ltd in Accrington, were sentenced for deploying unlicensed security guards. Anjam Javed and Philip Sultana also pleaded guilty to working without a licence.

Red Rose Select Services Ltd provide security guards in Lancashire and deployed Sultana, who did not have a licence and Javed, whose licence was revoked. The SIA investigated and contacted Dickinson, the operations manager. He admitted failing to ensure that Javed and Sultana were properly licensed and was prosecuted for supplying an unlicensed person under Section 5 of the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001. As a manager, he was also liable under Section 23 of the PSIA.

In an interview with the SIA, Robert Taylor also admitted that he had neglected to ensure that security staff were properly licensed and relied on Dickinson to do this. Consequently he was also charged with a Section 5 and a Section 23 offence under the PSIA.

The court heard that when questioned by the SIA, Robert and Katherine Taylor denied that Katherine Taylor was a director. The SIA requested more information but Robert Taylor failed to provide staffing records for Katherine Taylor, a Section 19 PSIA offence. SIA investigators found that Katherine Taylor was a director and that she and Robert Taylor had given false information, a Section 22 offence under the PSIA.

As directors, both Katherine and Robert Taylor are required to have an SIA licence. While Robert Taylor had an SIA licence, Katherine Taylor did not. Consequently alongside her false information charge, she was charged with working without a licence, a Section 3 PSIA offence and for supplying an unlicensed person, a Section 5 under the PSIA. As a director she was also liable under Section 23 of the PSIA.

The judge ruled that Javed and Sultana pay a £180 fine, a victim surcharge of £20 and costs of £160. Dickinson was fined £200 and will pay a victim surcharge of £20 and costs of £200. Robert Taylor was fined £900 for all his charges and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge as well as costs of £1,500 while Katherine Taylor was fined £300 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and £1,000 in costs. The company was also fined £5,000 and will pay a £120 victim surcharge for a Section 5 of the PSIA.

The SIA Investigations Manager, Nathan Salmon, said:

“Red Rose Select Services Ltd, its directors and operations manager had disregard for basic safeguards to ensure their contracts were fulfilled with SIA licensed operatives. Robert Taylor as a director had a duty to disclose information regarding his company to the SIA; he failed to fully comply and also provided misleading information. Katherine Taylor, another director of the company, had a complete disregard for the requirement of company directors to be licensed. The SIA robustly regulates the security industry and will seek to prosecute those who chose to ignore the legislation in place.”