Security director found guilty of using an unlicensed member of doorstaff

European Security Services director Michael Andreou, 64, had been illegally using an unlicensed person, who had his licence revoked in 2008, at a popular West-End licensed venue. The venue cannot be named for legal reasons.

By law, every security operative working in licensed venues must have an official SIA licence.

Both Andreou and his company were found guilty on Thursday [4 March] at the City of London Magistrates Court.

According to the SIA, Andreou had received clear guidance on how to manage the licensing of his staff to ensure they were all compliant with the law.

During an SIA and Metropolitan Police operation in June 2012, it became apparent that this guidance was ignored and Andreou had regularly provided a well-known venue in London’s West End with an unlicensed security operative. The offences occurred between April and June of the same year.

In court the magistrate imposed a fine of £500 on Andreou and his company and ordered him to pay £2,000 towards prosecution costs.

SIA head of investigation Nathan Salmon said: “This conviction should act as a warning to businesses that have a casual approach to the licensing of security staff. The SIA had worked with Andreou, guiding him on how best to manage the checking of licences of his staff. Yet this advice was ignored and resulted in his business supplying an individual whose licence had been revoked.

“It is unacceptable that the regulator should continue to be ignored. In addition to the penalty imposed by the court, Andreou will be unable to continue in his role within the security industry.”

The SIA is responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom. Their main duty is the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated security.