Unlicensed security brothers prosecuted

Shamir Razak, an unlicensed door supervisor, and Abdul Rehman, his brother and employer, both pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 23 September.  The prosecution was brought by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

Rehman was fined £290, whilst Razak was given 250 hours unpaid community service.  The brothers each have to pay costs of £1125, to be paid within 56 days.

Pete Easterbrook, SIA criminal investigation manager, said, “The SIA will always prosecute cases of this kind.  Irresponsible and non-compliant security operators are a danger to the public.  It’s hard to imagine a more blatant breach of the licensing regime than an unlicensed employer sending his own unqualified brother to work illegally as a door supervisor. The private security industry is regulated by the SIA in order to prevent untrained and unaccountable operators from risking public safety.”

Shamir Razak was found working as a door supervisor at Bijou nightclub in Keighley following an incident in November 2017.  The SIA discovered that Razak was not licensed, and started an investigation into his employer, AMK Security Ltd.

The SIA investigators soon realised that the director of AMK, Abdul Rehman, was also unlicensed.  It was at this point that they discovered that Razak and Rehman were brothers.

Rehman, who initially denied his role as a director of AMK, had recently supplied an appeal reference to a third party who was subject to licence suspension procedures by the SIA.  Rehman’s letter, which had been sent within the relevant time period, was on AMK Security headed paper with the company’s registered address.

Razak had also denied working as a door supervisor without a licence. However, footage from the CCTV cameras at Bijou clearly showed him screening customers at the entrance along with other door supervisors. He could also be seen assisting with an ejection from the venue.

Pete Easterbrook said, “We are very glad that the magistrates saw this as a serious matter. This sentence serves as a warning to those who choose to work in the security industry in defiance of the law.”