On Monday 18 October, Mark Longden from the High Peaks area pleaded guilty to a criminal offence at Derby Magistrates’ Court
On Monday 18 October, Mark Longden from the High Peaks area pleaded guilty to a criminal offence at Derby Magistrates’ Court for failing to provide information to the Security Industry Authority (SIA) when requested. The court fined Longden £200.
He must also pay £500 court costs and a victim surcharge of £34.60. The SIA brought the prosecution, which took place after Longden failed to appear in court in May when a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Longden, whose SIA licence is currently suspended, is a director of Nighthawk SEC@Solu Ltd.
SIA investigators approached him in December 2020 seeking information about a fellow director of the company. He failed to engage with the SIA for several reasons, one being that he’d moved and had failed to advise the SIA of his new address. Informing the SIA of a change of address is a condition of holding an SIA licence.
When the SIA’s investigators located Mr Longden at another address and served a further, formal request for information, he again failed to engage with them. This left the SIA no other option but to prosecute him.
Jen Hart, one of the SIA’s Criminal Investigations Managers said:
Mr Longden has now got a criminal record for committing a criminal act for failing to supply information when we formally asked for it and likewise for breaching his licence conditions.
Notes to Editors
by law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence
read about SIA enforcement and penalties
the offences relating to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 that are mentioned above are:
1 count of Section 9 - infringing licensing conditions
2 counts of Section 19 - failing to provide information
read the Private Security Industry Act 2001
Further Information
On each licence renewal occasion a person will be informed of the renewal/granting of the licence and will receive a copy of the SIA licensing conditions which every licence holder is required to adhere to, with few exemptions. The conditions stipulate that the licensee must:
Display the licence where it can be seen at all times when engaging in designated licensable activity unless it has been reported it lost or stolen, or it is in our possession (exemption applies in certain roles).
Tell the SIA and the police if their licence is lost or stolen.
Tell the SIA of any convictions, cautions or warnings, or charges for relevant offences whether committed in the UK or abroad.
Tell the SIA if any public body is investigating them for any relevant offence
Tell the SIA of any changes to name and/or address.
Not deface or change the licence in any way (should the licence become damaged, the licensee should advise the SIA and request a replacement).
Not display a licence that has been defaced or altered in any way.
Produce the licence for inspection on the request of any constable, any member or employee of the SIA or other person authorised by the SIA.
Return the licence to the SIA if the licensee is asked to do so.
Tell the SIA of any change to the licensee’s right to remain or work in the UK.
Where the SIA has granted the licence on the basis of a qualification or licence gained outside the United Kingdom: tell the SIA of any changes to the validity of that qualification or licence; tell the SIA of any disciplinary action taken or proposed to be taken against you in connection with that qualification or licence.
The licence conditions are clearly displayed on GOV.UK, which is publicly accessible, and are listed in Get Licensed, which is also readily available.
Further Information
The Security Industry Authority is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom, reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Our main duties are: the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities; and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.
For further information about the Security Industry Authority visit www.gov.uk/sia. The SIA is also on Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (SIAuk).