A Southend man without the legal right to work in the UK was caught with a forged Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence after he was injured in a car accident in Bristol
On Monday 14 November, Ahmed Altorshan was handed a 17 weeks’ jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, by Southend-on-Sea Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work and pay £500 prosecution costs plus a victim surcharge of £128. The sentence follows his guilty plea to fraud on 30 September 2022.
The SIA brought the prosecution following the road accident when the car that Mr Altorshan was driving hit a tree in Bristol on 29 April 2021. As Mr Altorshan was injured, he was taken to hospital. Police officers investigating the incident recovered multiple identity cards, including a forged SIA door supervisor’s licence, from the car.
The forgery was of a genuine licence held by a legitimate licence holder. Avon and Somerset Police referred the incident to Home Office Immigration, who contacted the SIA.
Essex Police went to Mr Altorshan’s address in Southend-on-Sea to search the property for further evidence. As Mr Altorshan wasn’t at the address, SIA investigators sought an interview under caution with him (with the aid of an interpreter) on 28 February 2022 at a separate address. He admitted to paying for the fraudulent document but claimed that he didn’t use the licence to gain work.
The presiding district Judge said:
Jenny Hart, one of the SIA’s criminal investigations managers said:
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