On Tuesday 2 February 2016, Mark Pursglove (director), Peter Smith and Simon Lane of Caernarfon based Mark Pursglove Security Limited (MPS), pled guilty to offences under the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001 at Holyhead Magistrates Court.
It was heard that MPS, who provide security guarding and door supervision, had provided an unlicensed security guard on a construction site near Porthmadog between April and August 2014.
Smith was employed by MPS to undertake licensable activity at the site but did not hold an SIA licence. The SIA became aware of Smith’s employment at the site and requested information from Mr Pursglove in September 2014.
In response Pursglove provided a falsified staff rota which excluded the fact that Smith had worked on at least 40 shifts between April and August 2014. Instead this falsified rota showed Lane as working these shifts in his place, an offence under section 22 of the PSIA.
Lane was also asked to provide information on his employment history with MPS but failed to do so, an offence under section 19 of the PSIA. Smith was then asked about his role at MPS but stated that he was not a security guard, despite undertaking licensable activity. This amounted to false information and is an offence under section 22 of the PSIA.
The judge sentenced Pursglove to a fine of £2,000 for the Section 5 offence and £1,000 for the Section 22 offence. Pursglove was also ordered to pay costs of £5,000. Smith and Lane were both fined £120 each for the Section 22 and Section 19 offences respectively and ordered to each pay costs of £660.
District Judge, Gwyn Jones commented of Pursglove
“You have been involved in the security industry for a number of years and aware of your obligations. Compliance should have been dealt with better and you failed to be open to the Authority”.
Nathan Salmon, SIA Investigations Manager, said
“This prosecution was brought because Pursglove was fully aware of the requirement of licensing and that these defendants sought to conceal the offending. Since the offending took place, they have frustrated the investigation and sought to extend legal proceedings. I welcome their guilty, albeit late pleas. The convictions have serious consequences for their future involvement in the security industry. Licence revocations will now take place, and for Mr Pursglove in particular, this will impact his business; as the District Judge commented, he and his business are essentially one in the same. He will not be able to continue as director of the company”.