Security director convicted after working without a licence
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-07)

A man who both acted as director of a security company and worked as a front line security guard without a licence has been prosecuted.

The director of a security company based in Cornwall has been ordered to pay over £1,600 after acting as both the director of a security company and as a security operative without a licence for either activity.

Dean Lanyon, director of Trouble Free Security Ltd, was questioned by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary at an event near Wadebridge on 6 July 2024. Trouble Free Security Ltd were providing security for the event and Lanyon was working there as a security operative, where he initially told police he held a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.

Police checked the SIA Public Register of Licence Holders, which showed that Lanyon was unlicensed, and referred this to the SIA.

Between 10 October 2024 and 31 October 2024, Lanyon failed to respond to repeated requests for information relating to Trouble Free Security Ltd.

SIA records showed that Dean Lanyon had never held an SIA licence, despite having made four historic applications to the SIA to obtain a licence where each had expired without payment.

On 2 April 2025, Lanyon pleaded guilty to offences under both Section 3 and Section 19 of the Private Security Industry Act. He was ordered to pay a £400 fine for each offence, a victim surcharge of £320, and prosecution costs of £500, totalling £1,620.

Kirsty Grant, Criminal Investigations Officer at the Security Industry Authority, said:

A vital part of the SIA’s role in protecting public safety is ensuring all security directors and operatives are adequately licensed to perform their roles. Dean Lanyon, despite knowing the SIA licensing requirements through his historic applications, decided to put people at risk by working without a licence.

Both the SIA and the police conduct regular inspection and enforcement operations across the country to make sure regulations are followed, and any unlicensed operatives are found. We would like to thank our partners in Devon and Cornwall Constabulary who brought this specific case to our attention.

Background

By law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence. Information about SIA enforcement and penalties (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/learn-how-we-enforce-sia-regulation) can be found on GOV.UK/SIA (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/security-industry-authority).

The offences relating to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/12/contents) mentioned above are:
- Section 3 – engaging in licensable conduct without a licence.
- Section 19 – obstructing SIA officials or those with delegated authority, or failing to respond to a request for 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 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/12/contents). The SIA’s main duties are the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).

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