Fratton man prosecuted for working illegally at a Southsea Pub
On Wednesday 31 May 2023, Viktor Abdullahi of Fratton was prosecuted at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court.
Abdullahi pleaded guilty to working illegally as a door supervisor at a Southsea pub. He was prosecuted for working illegally between 25 June and 19 August last year.
Portsmouth Magistrates’ court sentenced Abdullahi to a £100 fine and required him to pay a £40 victim surcharge. The prosecution was brought by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) after working with other enforcement partners.
The case began when an off-duty, senior Immigration Enforcement officer, spotted Abdullahi working at the pub on 12 August 2022. The Immigration Officer knew that Abdullahi was unlicensed as he had been convicted of several offences. The officer informed the SIA’s regional investigation officers who, together with licensing officers from Hampshire Constabulary, and local authority licensing officers, carried out an inspection of the pub on Friday 19 August 2022. The local authority licensing officers confirmed to SIA investigators that several weeks prior they had visited the venue, Abdullahi was working as a door supervisor, and he had absconded when they challenged him about his licence.
During the SIA investigators’ inspection, they spoke to the pub’s manager to find out who was working that night. The pub manager advised that there were two door supervisors on duty. Abdullahi was wearing a jacket emblazoned with the words ‘Taurus IPS Security’. The SIA investigator asked Abdullahi why he was not displaying his licence. Abdullahi replied that he wasn’t working and that he didn’t have a licence with him. Abdullahi also said that he worked in retail and he was covering for someone else who would be working later that night.
The SIA investigator then asked the pub manager to see the pub’s ‘signing-in book’ which showed that Abdullahi had been working at the pub since 25 June 2022. Abdullahi then ran from the pub before he could be cautioned by SIA investigators or Hampshire Constabulary police officers.
The pub’s licensing conditions state that it was required to have two SIA licensed door supervisors in post between 18:00 to close on Friday and Saturday nights.
Abdullahi attended an interview under caution with SIA investigators on 2 November at Portsmouth when he admitted to the offending.
Nicola Bolton, one of the SIA’s Criminal Investigations Managers, said the SIA’s licensing regime is to protect the public by ensuring that licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ and are properly vetted and qualified.
Abdullahi worked illegally and put the public at risk from harm as he was wholly unsuitable to be a door supervisor. He was caught red-handed and pretended to be something he wasn’t, a licensed individual. This prosecution has meant that the risk of him working illegally in future has been reduced.
I extend our gratitude to our enforcement partners, the Home Office Immigration and Enforcement Officer for identifying Abdullahi on his night off, Hampshire Constabulary and Portsmouth City Council.
Notes to editors:
- The offences relating to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 that are mentioned above are:
- 4 x Section 3 - working unlicensed as a security operative
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. The SIA’s 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 or to sign up for email updates visit: www.gov.uk/sia. The SIA is also on LinkedIn Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (@SIAuk).