STORY
Amadu Tavares has been convicted for working as a door supervisor at No6 Cocktail Bar in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, despite having his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence suspended. The SIA had suspended Tavares’s licence on 10 April 2024. However, on 10 May 2024, Cambridgeshire Police conducted licence checks at the venue and discovered that Tavares was working illegally. He failed to attend two interviews under caution with SIA investigators in July 2024. On 15 January 2025, Tavares pleaded guilty at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court to offences under Section 3 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. He was fined £200, ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge, and £280 in prosecution costs.
Nicola Bolton, Criminal Investigations Manager at the SIA, stated: “Our priority is public protection. We carefully review the actions of licence holders and suspend or revoke licences when necessary to keep people safe. Mr Tavares chose to ignore the suspension of his licence, putting public safety at risk and undermining the integrity of the industry. The sentence handed down by the court will serve as a strong reminder that non-compliance has serious consequences.”
By law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence. Engaging in licensable conduct without a licence is an offence under Section 3 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.