Security firm with unlicensed staff ordered to pay £46,000
SPS Doorguard Ltd has been fined after employing unlicensed security managers.
24 January 2025
The previous version of this news release referred to SPS Doorguard Ltd as “deploying unlicensed security staff to sites across Scotland”. It also contained references to these staff being “deployed” to “high-profile sites”, including one near the COP 26 summit. This gave the impression that manned guards were physically sent to sites across Scotland, which was not the case. This amended news release omits the word ‘deployed’ and any references to COP 26 or any other “high-profile sites”. Instead, it now correctly refers to the company having employed unlicensed security staff in their Alarm Response Centre (ARC).
A security company has been fined £4,000 and must pay back more than £42,000 in proceeds of crime after it repeatedly employed unlicensed security staff and unlicensed security managers in its Alarm Response Centre guarding sites remotely across the UK.
Glasgow-based SPS Doorguard Ltd knowingly provided its clients with unlicensed security guards to protect properties remotely, despite being warned by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) that this was unlawful.
The SIA then provided SPS Doorguard Ltd with 4 months to correctly license its staff and managers after deferring its reporting to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Office for consideration of prosecution of SPS Doorguard Ltd in November 2023.
Despite its warnings, the SIA discovered that SPS Doorguard Ltd continued to use unlicensed staff and managers, and recruit new unlicensed staff within its Alarm Response Centre. Consequently, the matter was reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Office.
On 4 July 2024, SPS Doorguard Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching the Private Security Industry Act 2001. A Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of Crime Act was thereafter issued by the Court on 18 December 2024, the Court having determined that the company had received a criminal benefit of £42,039 for its activities between 25 March 2022 and 4 July 2023. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Office will use the recovered money to fund good causes across Scotland through the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme.
On 8 January 2025, the company was sentenced to a fine of £4,000 and was ordered to pay a Victim Surcharge of £175.
Nicola Bolton, Criminal Investigations Manager at the SIA, said:
An important part of keeping the public safe is ensuring that people working in the private security industry are properly licensed. By working illegally, SPS Doorguard Ltd profited significantly at the expense of those they were employed to protect. They are now facing the consequences. This court order will help to redress the imbalance that operating illegally has on the private security industry. It demonstrates that crime does not pay.
Notes to editors
By law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence. Information about SIA enforcement and penalties can be found on GOV.UK/SIA.
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) sets out the legislative scheme for the recovery of criminal assets, with criminal confiscation being the most commonly used power. Confiscation occurs after a conviction has taken place.
If a person has a POCA Order against them they must pay it, regardless of whether they serve a jail sentence.
The offence relating to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 that is mentioned above is:
- Section 5 - employing unlicensed persons in licensable conduct
Further information
The SIA is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK, 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 (ACS).
For further information about the SIA or to sign up for email updates visit www.gov.uk/sia. We also post articles and updates on WordPress. The SIA is on LinkedIn, Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and X (@SIAuk).
Media enquiries only
For media enquiries only please contact: media.enquiries@sia.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
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Added details about what has changed from the original version of this news release.
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First published.
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The previous version of this news release (published on 10 January 2025) referred to SPS Doorguard Ltd as "deploying unlicensed security staff to sites across Scotland". It also contained references to these staff being "deployed" to "high-profile sites", including one near the COP 26 summit. This gave the impression that manned guards were physically sent to sites across Scotland, which was not the case. This amended news release omits the word 'deployed' and any references to COP 26 or any other "high-profile sites". Instead, it now correctly refers to the company having employed unlicensed security staff in their Alarm Response Centre (ARC).