A man has been given a suspended sentence for fraud after he used someone else’s SIA licence to work illegally at a venue in Newcastle.
An SIA investigation found that Samuel Miller committed fraud by lying to his employers and working unlicensed as a door supervisor at City Vaults in Newcastle.
He worked multiple shifts between August and October 2022 at the venue using the SIA licence number of somebody with a similar name. Northumbria Police were investigating a separate incident at a venue when they discovered Mr Miller working without a licence and referred the matter to the SIA to investigate.
Jenny Hart, a criminal investigations manager at the SIA, said:
Door supervisors and security guards have an important frontline role protecting the public. That is why we have a robust licensing regime in place to make sure they have the skills they need to keep people safe.
Mr Miller used a fraudulent licence to obtain work. He showed a brazen disregard for public safety by deceiving his employers to get a job for which he was not qualified. We take matters like this incredibly seriously. Mr Miller has found out the hard way that crime does not pay.
Samuel Miller pleaded guilty on 13 May 2024 to one count of fraud and one count of breaching the Private Security Industry Act by working in a licensable role without a valid licence. He was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Newcastle Crown Court on 11 October 2024. He must also pay £500 in court costs.