Security director fined £9K after being found guilty of SIA licence breaches

Louise Lowe, director of Fortis Security deployed door supervisors to two venues in the city centre between December 2011 and February 2012, but did not hold the necessary Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to provide operatives, an SIA investigation revealed.

By law, security operatives working under contract and all door supervisors must hold and display a valid SIA licence.

Derby Magistrates Court heard last week that Lowe had previous criminal offences, which would have barred her from holding an SIA licence until 2013.

Lowe claimed that she did not know that she needed to hold an SIA licence and was unaware of the investigation and prosecution of her husband who had pleaded guilty to security offences in January 2012 when he was ordered to pay more than £14,000.

But the magistrate described ignorance of the law as “no defence.” “You engaged in licensable conduct without a licence and the prosecution case is proved,” he said.

Lowe was found guilty of two counts of engaging as an unlicensed director, two counts of failing to provide information to the SIA, fined £2,225 and ordered to contribute £7,278 towards the prosecution costs, as well as pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Nathan Salmon, SIA head of investigation, said: “We knew that in failing to provide information to the SIA, Louise was attempting to conceal information regarding Fortis Security (UK) Limited, its employees and the running of the business; identical offences to those faced by her husband Mark earlier this year.

“Like her husband, Louise was working illegally by not holding an SIA licence. Together, Mr and Mrs Lowe have paid a significant financial penalty and precluded their future involvement in the private security industry.”