On December 12, 2023, Ahsin Akhtar, the director of Acre & Tweed Group Ltd, appeared before Barkingside Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to failing to provide information to the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Ahsin Akhtar, 36, formerly of Ilford and residing in Dagenham, RM9 5JB, faced legal consequences for his involvement in a scheme that saw unlicensed security guards using cloned licenses at various locations across the South East of England. In a swift court hearing, Mr. Akhtar was fined £666, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £266, and slapped with court costs totaling £2,932.50, resulting in a total penalty of £3,864.50.
The case against Akhtar was initiated by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) following their investigation into the use of a cloned license by a security operative. The SIA alleges that this security operative had been supplied by Ahsin Akhtar’s security company.
In response to these allegations, the SIA issued a letter of request for information to Mr. Akhtar on December 12, 2022. Despite repeated requests for information, Mr Akhtar failed to respond, prompting the SIA to invite him for an interview under caution.
Ahsin Akhtar attended two interviews under caution on May 16, 2023, and June 14, 2023. During these interviews, he admitted to failing to provide the requested information. However, the information he provided was found to be contradictory.
Mr Akhtar ultimately pleaded guilty to violating section 19 of the Private Security Industry Act, which pertains to obstructing SIA officials or those with delegated authority and failing to respond to a request for information. He received his sentence during the first hearing.
The bench at the hearing commented, “Mr Akhtar, it is a serious matter when you fail to provide information to resolve an investigation when requested to do so. You have been given extensions allowing you the opportunity to provide this information; however, you still never met the request to provide this information.”
Nicola Bolton, one of the SIA’s criminal investigations managers, highlighted the gravity of the situation, saying, “Ahsin Akhtar pleaded guilty to withholding information from the SIA. This is a serious matter as failing to provide information to the SIA can obstruct the course of a criminal investigation and hence put the safety of the public at risk.”
She further emphasized, “Responding to a request for information by the SIA is a legal requirement. The SIA’s licensing regime exists to protect the public. Offenders like Akhtar need to be aware of the consequences of their illegal actions. Ashin Akhtar now has a criminal record.”
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent regulations and compliance within the security industry to ensure the safety and security of the public.
