Unlicensed Cwmbran security boss must pay court order or go to jail

June 3, 2020

A former security boss has been ordered to pay more than five thousand pounds from the proceeds of his crimes, or face a prison sentence.

Nicholas Seabrook, of Cwmbran, was handed a Proceeds of Crime 2002 (POCA) confiscation order of £5,560.59 at Cardiff Crown Court last Friday, 29 May 2020.

Seabrook’s sentence follows his guilty plea last December for working as an unlicensed security director, and for failing to provide information to the Security Industry Authority (SIA) at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court. Seabrook must pay the full amount by 31 August 2020 or face a three month jail sentence. He was also fined £500, which must be paid before 30 June 2020. He is also required to pay court costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £38.

Seabrook worked illegally as an unlicensed director of NPS Security Ltd between 06 August 2018 (when he started the company) and 13 July 2019. During that time he supplied security services to a number of pubs in South Wales.

The prosecution against Mr Seabrook was brought by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) after information was provided by Gwent Police. The SIA sought information from Mr Seabrook which he failed to provide, however when he was interviewed he admitted that he had been operating his business without a licence.

In sentencing Mr Seabrook, His Honour Judge Jeremy Jenkins, said:

“What you have been found guilty of doing is running a company that should have been licensed. You formed your company in August 2018. I do accept that you entered the industry with naivety but by January 2019 you knew you needed a licence. You should have applied before. You applied later on, but because of what had happened between that time and your application your licence was disallowed. It was imperative that you, as a director were licensed and you were not – that is a serious matter.”

Nathan Salmon, one of our criminal investigations managers, said:

“Nicholas Seabrook has broken the law twice and profited from working illegally. He put his customers’ clients – ordinary pub-goers – at risk by operating illegally. He has a significant court order against him, and a criminal record. If he fails to pay the fine and the confiscation order he will face a jail sentence. The lesson is clear: if an unlicensed security director breaks the law there are consequences.”