Identity fraudster uses fake SIA Close Protection Licence

A man has pleaded guilty to five fraud offences following a prosecution by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

Lee Brown, 29 of Belfast, provided his employer with the SIA Close Protection licence of another person with the same name. Brown then worked as a security guard and door supervisor for four months until the licence expired. Securigroup had noticed that the forged licence was in an older version and reported it to the SIA. When the licence was checked it was found to be fraudulent. Brown admitted he had purchased the fake licence for £700. 

Pete Easterbrook, SIA criminal investigation manager, said, "Lee Brown stole the identities of not one, but two genuine SIA licence holders to fraudulently gain employment. He assumed that the counterfeit licences he managed to obtain were of sufficient quality to allow him to operate within the security industry with impunity, however, he was wrong in this assumption”

Laganside Magistrates' Court district judge, George Conner, said, "The Private Security Industry Act 2001 is there to protect the public. Those who work in the private security industry should be legitimately licenced."

A Professional memberships and qualifications check may have revealed the version of SIA licence was an old version.