Security Boss Found Guilty Of Pre-Olympic Games Offences

April 8, 2014

On Thursday [3 April], a security director and the company she was running were found guilty of security offences. The offences were discovered during pre-London Olympic Games compliance checks undertaken by the Security Industry Authority.

At Inner London Crown Court, Platinum UK Facilities Management Ltd (Platinum), and its director Mrs Lolo Daniels, were fined a total of £11,000 and ordered to pay costs of £40,000.

In July 2012, SIA investigators carried out checks on security companies that were preparing to supply security to the Games and satellite events. The SIA checks were to ensure all security operatives were correctly SIA licensed.

During a check on the activities of Platinum, SIA investigators visited a construction site in Reading. Investigators found an individual, deployed by Platinum, who was working without an SIA licence. Further enquiries also revealed that he did not have the right to remain in the UK.

Subsequently the SIA made requests for information on Platinum’s staff and customers from Daniels. The information she provided was found to be inconsistent and incomplete.

In sentencing, Judge Madge said:

“Parliament’s intention was that companies and individuals working in the security industry must have high standards. The public and customers must know people who are guarding premises are trustworthy and licensed. The public put great trust in security guards who often guard sites with valuable contents.

“In this case there is the aggravating feature that an illegal over stayer was being employed. The company and Mrs Daniels were effectively encouraging breaches of immigration law by employing someone not entitled to work.”

Lolo Daniels, of Woodbrook Road, Abbeywood, London, was found guilty of supplying a security operative and failing to provide information to the SIA, contrary to section 5 and 19 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.

Daniels was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,000. She has also been disqualified from working as a company director for two years.

Platinum UK Facilities Management Ltd was found guilty of supplying an unlicensed security operative contrary to section 5 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The company was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,000.

Head of Investigations, Nathan Salmon, said:

“This investigation came about because of the work undertaken by the SIA to ensure security operatives were working legally in the run up to the 2012 London Olympics Games.

“The penalty for both the company and Mrs Daniels are significant and reflect the seriousness of their offending; this should serve as a warning that illegal activity such as this is unacceptable to the SIA and to the public.”