Press release

Security guard with fake licence jailed after stealing from hospital

A man has been jailed for almost three years after he used a fake SIA licence to work at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and commit theft.

Daniel Carter used his position as a security supervisor to steal £1425 cash from the hospital.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) worked closely with Leicestershire Police to investigate Carter, who had never held an SIA licence despite being employed as a security supervisor. The investigation found he lied to his employer in order to work at the Trust from November 2022 until January 2023.

He pleaded guilty to 11 indictments, including 3 counts of theft by employee and 8 counts of fraud and false representation. He was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment on 28 October at Leicestershire Crown Court. 

Carter has a history of similar criminal activity. In 2018, he was sentenced to more than a year in prison for fraud and theft for stealing the bank details of customers while working as a security guard.

Jenny Hart, Criminal Investigations Manager at the SIA, said: 

Mr Carter is a career criminal with a long history of fraud and deception. He used a fake SIA licence to deceive his employers and in doing so put the public he was there to protect in danger.  

His deceitful actions not only undermined the trust placed in him as a security professional, but he used his position to target a hospital for his own financial gain. His calculated dishonesty and theft will not be tolerated, and this case underscores our commitment to protecting the public by ensuring that only licensed, vetted professionals serve in trusted roles and bringing those seeking to break the rules to justice.

Licensed security operatives undergo robust training requirements to help them protect the public. Untrained and unvetted security operatives with fake or cloned licences put the public at risk. Anyone suspected of breaking the law should be reported: report security staff or companies to the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

The SIA encourages security providers and buyers to check the SIA licences of security operatives to ensure they are genuine.  

Information on how to spot fake licences can be found online: how to check SIA licence cards.

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 2 – Fraud by false representation.

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 (formerly Twitter) @SIAuk .

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Updates to this page

Published 15 November 2024