Bar doorman narrowly avoids jail for fake licence

In June 2016, an SIA investigations officer, accompanied by the Police, checked bars in Cardiff as part of a night time economy operation. The officers observed Christopher David Price at WOW Bar on Churchill Way in Cardiff, working on the door with what appeared to be an SIA licence.

When the investigator checked Price’s alleged licence, it was found to be a fake as it was a laminated paper photocopy intended to look like an SIA Licence. When checked against the SIA Register of Licence Holders (ROLH), it was established Price did not hold an SIA licence. After further investigation, it became evident that Price had worked as an unlicensed door supervisor at WOW on 6 earlier occasions, using false SIA licence details.

Price appeared at Cardiff and Vale Magistrates’ Court on 7 March and pleaded guilty to breaching S3 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 and an offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. He was given a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid community work. He was also ordered to pay £1000 in costs.

After the hearing, SIA investigations manager Nathan Salmon said: “The SIA robustly regulates the security industry and will seek to prosecute those who chose to ignore the legislation in place. Christopher Price was not licensed to work as a door supervisor, and yet he knowingly used a false SIA licence on a number of occasions. He deceived the company who employed him, and the general public who frequented the premises, by pretending that he was a licensed individual.”