Press release

Two Belfast men convicted for working without licences

Two men have been given fines after working unlicensed as door supervisors at a bar in Belfast.

Jonathan McDonnell and James Gouldie worked as security at a bar in Belfast despite not holding valid Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences.

皇冠体育app men were discovered working unlicensed during a planned SIA inspection operation in the city on 15 September 2023.

Jonathan McDonnell pleaded guilty at Belfast Magistrates鈥� Court to working without a licence on 7 May 2024. He received a fine of 拢250 and was ordered to pay 拢166 in costs.

James Gouldie appeared at Belfast Magistrates鈥� Court on 4 June 2024 and also entered a guilty plea. He received鈥痑 fine of 拢100 and was ordered to pay 拢210 in costs.

Jenny Hart, Criminal Investigations Manager for the SIA, said:

Working unlicensed in the security industry is a serious offence that potentially puts people at risk as they go about their daily lives. We conduct regular inspection and enforcement operations across the United Kingdom to make sure individuals and venues follow these important regulations.

This case is another important reminder to anyone who wants to take the risk of working without a licence that crime does not pay.

Notes to editors

By law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence.聽Learn about how we enforce SIA regulation.

皇冠体育app offence relating to the聽聽that is mentioned above is:鈥�

  • Section 3 鈥� engaging in licensable conduct without a licence

Further information

皇冠体育app Security Industry Authority is the regulator of the UK鈥檚 private security industry. Our purpose is to protect the public through effective regulation of the private security industry and working with partners to raise standards across the sector. We are responsible for licensing people who do certain jobs in the private security industry and for approving private security companies who wish to be part of the voluntary 鈥楢pproved Contractor Scheme鈥�. We are marking 20 years since we were set up in 2003 and issued the first SIA licences in April 2004.

皇冠体育app SIA is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office. For more information, visit:聽www.gov.uk/sia.

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Updates to this page

Published 2 September 2024