Lancashire man sentenced for working as illegal security operative 93 times

March 5, 2020

A Lancashire man has been prosecuted by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) for working as an unlicensed security operative on 93 separate occasions.

Neil Reddington, of Fleetwood, was sentenced at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on 28 February 2020 to 15 weeks’ imprisonment for each of two offences against the Private Security Industry Act, to run concurrently. The first offence was working unlicensed as a door supervisor on 12 occasions; the second offence was working unlicensed as a security guard on 81 occasions. The sentence has been suspended for a year, with a requirement to complete a 25 day rehabilitation activity with the probation service.

Reddington, who was employed by Evolution Security, had worked illegally at the Wyre Light pub in Fleetwood, Baines School in Poulton, and at the Poulton Industrial Estate.

The court additionally ordered Reddington to pay costs of £1,500, plus a victim surcharge of £115.

Pete Easterbrook, of the SIA’s Criminal Investigation Team, said:

“Neil Reddington knew perfectly well that he was working illegally. He had previously held a valid SIA licence, so he was aware of the licensing regime that we operate to protect the public. He chose to ignore the law, and as a consequence he now has a criminal record. His deception took place over a lengthy period, and included work at a school. He will not work in the security industry again, and his case should be a warning to anyone who seeks to flout the law. The SIA will always prosecute in the face of serious wrongdoing.”

Reddington had originally been found working at the Wyre Light in May 2019 by a licensing officer from Lancashire Constabulary who was following up on reports of unlicensed operatives at the venue. Further investigation by the SIA revealed that he had been working without a licence since at least August 2018.

The SIA formally interviewed Reddington in July 2019. He claimed that he suffered from memory loss, and was unable to recall when he had been working. Signing-in sheets seen by the SIA had been completed with false licence numbers in order to aid Reddington’s deception.

Martin Coe, the director of Evolution Security, is also being prosecuted by the SIA for providing unlicensed security services.​​