‘Untrained’ security staff worked at Download Festival and Glastonbury using fake licences

A man has been jailed for more than two years after fraudulently supplying unlicensed security staff to major events across the UK.

Lee Szuchnik, director of South Wales security company LS Armour, was one of several sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court last week.

The court heard that Szuchnik, assisted by fellow company director Erica Lloyd, invited genuinely licensed security staff for interviews and made copies of their identity details and licences.

This information was then used to supply unlicensed and untrained staff to events in summer 2017 including Glastonbury, Download Festival, and 2000trees.

By law, anyone working under contract as a security operative in the UK must hold and display a valid SIA licence.

Glastonbury Festival told TheFestivals this was a “small handful” of 15,000 security and stewarding staff, and that a thorough investigation found “no adverse impact” was made at the event.

Glastonbury said that all security staff at the festival in 2017 had been vetted through the SIA’s official licence checking system but “unfortunately, those using the fake licences were able to pass these SIA checks”.

The security staff that were not properly qualified were using the identities of genuine SIA licence holders.

The scheme was uncovered when a regional SIA investigator found two LS Armour security staff working with fake licences at 2000Trees.

The investigator then stopped two further security staff as they were trying to flee the festival site. They too were using false identities.

The SIA, regulator of the private security industry, and South Wales Police then searched LS Armour’s offices and found plans to send unlicensed staff to future events using false identities.

The SIA warned security suppliers to major events about the ongoing investigation into the use of fake licences. The SIA said this “unprecedented action brought LS Armour’s events business to an immediate halt” in July 2017.

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Lee Szuchnik was charged with supplying articles for use in fraud and multiple counts of deploying unlicensed guards.

He was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison and banned from acting as a company director for six years.

Erica Lloyd was given a 12-month sentence for deploying unlicensed guards, suspended for 18 months. She must also carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £390 in court costs and victim surcharge. She was banned from acting as a company director for three years.

Four of LS Armour’s staff caught using counterfeit SIA badges were charged with fraudulent misrepresentation and each ordered to pay £335 in court costs and victim surcharge. Each also received a Community Service Order.

The Leicester Mercury reported the judge, HHJ Petts, branded the offenders “reckless” and noted the risk of “serious harm to the public”.

Companies House states that L.S Armour Security Ltd was dissolved just over two weeks ago.

Glastonbury: ‘no adverse impact’

Glastonbury Festival said “Glastonbury Festival is committed to putting in place all necessary measures to maximise public safety, working closely with all of the relevant authorities.

“Following the 2017 Festival, we were made aware that a small handful of our 15,000 security and stewarding staff had been able to use false Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences to obtain work at that year’s event.

“Following a thorough internal investigation by Glastonbury Festival, we are reassured that no adverse impact has been found to have been made by that small number of security staff who worked on fake licences.

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“All security staff who had worked at Glastonbury 2017 had been vetted through the SIA’s official Licence Checker system before the event. Unfortunately, those using the fake licences were able to pass these SIA checks. Additionally, during the 2017 Festival, the SIA were on site to audit and inspect our security staff’s licences. More than 400 staff were checked and no irregularities were found.

“Going forward, Glastonbury will continue to work closely with the SIA to ensure that only those with genuine SIA licences are able to gain employment at the Festival, and that all the SIA checking systems and Glastonbury Festival procedures are as robust as they can be.”

SIA: ‘untrained and unvetted security staff in a position of responsibility’

In a statement released to press, SIA Criminal Investigations Officer Nathan Salmon said: “This fraud put untrained and un-vetted security staff in a position of responsibility at numerous festivals. This put event organisers, suppliers, and members of the public at an increased security risk.

“People going to events and festivals must be able to have confidence in the fact that the security personnel put there to protect them are legitimately licensed. An effective security industry that ensures public safety is a priority for the SIA. We will act robustly in driving dishonest operators out of the industry.

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“The operatives in this cases were supplied under a subcontracting arrangement.

“We are grateful to businesses within the security industry who, having been failed by the criminal activity of LS Armour, came forward and offered evidence which contributed towards this prosecution.

“The SIA recognises that security at events is of utmost importance, and that the organisation of short term workers is often challenging to arrange.

“We will continue to work with our industry, event organisers, and other partners to aid security planning and ensure security services remain at a high standard, and seek to drive out rogue operators who fail to meet regulatory requirements.”

TheFestivals has approached Download Festival and 2000trees for comment.

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