An Accrington man with a history of violence has been sentenced for using his uncle's identity to fraudulently gain a door supervisor qualification and a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence
On Tuesday 14 September, Bernard Holmes of Blackburn was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to 12 months’ jail, suspended for two years. The court also ordered 120 hours of unpaid work and a 30-day rehabilitation requirement. The sentence follows his guilty plea to three counts of fraud on 19 July.
Holmes has a history of offending and served a jail sentence for assault between July 2019 and October 2020. Prior to that offence, Holmes fraudulently used his uncle’s identity to gain an SIA licence. He did this as he knew that his criminal record would prevent him from being allowed a licence in his own name. He completed the required training in August 2018 and was awarded a SIA door supervisor’s licence on 10 January 2019.
On 21 September 2018 SIA investigators were carrying out routine checks at the Rail and the Nag’s Head public houses in Accrington. Security staff confirmed that they had been deployed by RR Ryan Response Ltd, and that their employer was Bernard Holmes. This was later confirmed by management. SIA investigators could not find any evidence that Holmes had an SIA licence. They invited him for an interview which he failed to attend.
During the investigation the SIA found that Holmes was an associate of Jason Grogan whom he trained with. Holmes put Grogan under pressure to form a company, RR Ryan Response Ltd. Holmes formed the company without Grogan’s knowledge in August 2018. Grogan, who was refused an SIA licence in 2019, told SIA investigators that he was unaware that he was the director of the company.
During the autumn SIA investigators approached witnesses, including the training provider, who identified the person claiming to be Jason Nicholson as Bernard Holmes.
In August 2020 SIA investigators approached Jason Nicholson for a formal interview, which he refused. They later interviewed Nicholson in conjunction with Lancashire Constabulary, when he confirmed that he was Holmes’ uncle. Nicholson told investigators that he had never trained or applied for an SIA licence. He also stated that he had no knowledge that his identity had been used to fraudulently gain qualifications and an SIA licence.
On Tuesday, His Honour Judge Simon Medland QC, said of Holmes:
Jen Hart, the SIA’s criminal investigation manager, said:
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