Security guard convicted of licence fraud
A London man has been convicted after allowing somebody else to use his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.
A London man has been given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay almost £6,000 costs after allowing somebody else to use his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence. The SIA will also seize a further £8,992 through the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Dada Taofiki Olaniyan was employed to work as a security guard at the Ronald McDonald Charity House in London. When his employer conducted routine checks in January 2020, they found another man displaying a licence in his name. The Ronald McDonald House Charities provide accommodation and support for families close to their child’s hospital ward.
The SIA launched an investigation and found that Olaniyan knew the man and continued to receive wages for shifts he had not worked.
He told SIA investigators that he had not worked at the charity’s establishments since 2019. He also said that the man who was seen at the venue had been living at his ex-wife’s address. Investigators were unable to trace this man.
Olaniyan was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court on 1 July 2024, where he was sentenced to 2 years in prison, suspended for 18 months. A confiscation hearing on 11 December 2024 found that he made £8,992 in criminal benefit. The SIA will now seize the full amount under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
He was also ordered to pay £5,860 costs and a victim surcharge of £140.
Nicola Bolton, an SIA criminal investigations manager, said:
SIA licence holders are trained and vetted to hold positions of authority and trust. Olaniyan abused this position and used his licence fraudulently to allow an unknown, untrained and unlicensed individual to work protecting vulnerable families.
Olaniyan has lost his licence and now has a criminal record. This prosecution is a lesson to anyone who is thinking of committing fraud that crime does not pay.
The SIA will use the money recovered through proceeds of crime confiscation orders to benefit good causes across the UK.
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 offence relating to the Fraud Act 2006 that is mentioned above is:
- Section 7 – Making or supplying articles for use in frauds
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 Twitter (@SIAuk).
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