On Friday (06 May) Chadd Thomas Zamir Heath of Weston-Super-Mare, pleaded guilty at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court
Chadd Thomas Zamir Heath pleaded guilty to working as unlicensed security following a prosecution brought by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Heath was fined £300. The court also ordered him to pay court costs of £1,000 as well as handing him a victim surcharge of £34.
This prosecution follows a routine licence inspection at the Oktoberfest event at Weston-Super-Mare on 01 October last year. SIA investigators approached the entrance gate and saw three men wearing security jackets. The investigators asked to see their security licences. Two men were correctly displaying their licences, which were verified by the investigators. The third man – Mr Heath – wasn’t displaying a licence, for which the SIA investigators challenged him.
Heath stated he was security staff and said that his SIA licence was in his car. It’s a licensing requirement that operatives on duty are required to display a valid SIA licence.
A check on Heath’s alleged licence revealed that he did not have a licence and was therefore working illegally. Mr Heath then explained to the SIA that he had completed his training and was waiting for his licence. On the night of the inspection, Heath was wearing a jacket marked with the word ‘Security’ which he claimed he needed to wear to keep himself warm. The SIA investigator cautioned Mr Heath. His employer suggested that Mr Heath was working as a steward, and that he did not need to be licensed.
The SIA investigators checked the signing-in book and found out that even though Heath had registered himself for employment that night he did not supply an SIA licence number. The SIA investigation officer also found out from the Oktoberfest organisers that they had procured seven door supervisors and no stewards.
Heath was interviewed under caution on 04 February 2022 and claimed that he was working as a steward. This led to the SIA bringing a prosecution against Heath.
Jenny Hart, the SIA’s Criminal Investigations Manager, said:
Notes to Editors
Further Information