On Monday 13 October 2014 at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, a Lambeth-based security company was found guilty – in the absence of its director – of two charges of supplying unlicensed security officers, one incidence of which relates to a children’s play centre in Merton.
Wilson Lugolobi, director of Ace Consult who is believed to be outside of the UK, failed to co-operate with the Security Industry Authority’s (SIA) investigation and has failed to attend court. Lugolobi’s non-appearance at court in September resulted in a bench warrant being issued for his arrest.
Ace Consult UK (of Victoria House, South Lambeth Road) supplied unlicensed security officers to a children’s play centre in Merton between May and December 2013, and to a construction site in Southwark in November last year.
On Monday of this week, the court heard the case in Lugolobi’s absence and ruled that both charges against the company had been proven. The court levied a fine of £5,500, with a victim surcharge of £120, and awarded the SIA full costs totalling £8,267.
By law, security operatives working under contract and all door supervisors must hold and display a valid SIA licence card
The arrest warrant for Lugolobi remains in force, and he faces charges relating to his capacity as a director of a security company.
SIA investigations manager Nathan Salmon commented: “The outcome of this case demonstrates the SIA’s ongoing commitment to pursue those companies that flagrantly disregard regulation, as well as taint the otherwise healthy reputation of today’s security industry.”
Salmon added: “In this case, one of the charges was aggravated in that it involved supplying an unlicensed security officer to a leisure centre for children. I’m satisfied the court took a similarly dim view of the way in which Ace Consult put children at risk. We will now pursue Mr Lugolobi through the courts in relation to his alleged role in these offences.”
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