Convicted Cambridge security boss and operative to pay over £5000

On 28 April 2026 at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court, Mr Thomson pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 5 (via section 23) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA). The company Cambridge Security Services Ltd, of which Mr Thomson was the sole director, pleaded guilty to another offence under Section 5 of the PSIA.

For his offence Mr Thomson was ordered to pay a fine of £2,000, a victim surcharge of £800, and prosecution costs of £700, totalling £3,500. Cambridge Security Services Ltd was ordered to pay £600 in prosecution costs.

At the same time, Mr Almond-Farrant pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 3 of the PSIA for providing lock and unlock services without a valid SIA licence. He was ordered to pay a fine of £600, a victim surcharge of £240, and prosecution costs of £700, totalling £1,540.

The charges were brought after enquires by the SIA revealed that Cambridge Security Services had a contract for keyholding services at a premises in Cambridge, which included a lock and unlock service and alarm response responsibilities, and that Mr Almond-Farrant had carried out these activities despite not holding the necessary SIA licence.

Both Mr Almond-Farrant and Mr Thomson later admitted in interviews with the SIA that they knew this deployment was illegal and continued with it regardless.

Jenny Hart, SIA Criminal Enforcement Manager, said:

These two men, through their company, knowingly decided to break the law for their own gain. This put the premises they were contracted to protect, and as a result those working within, at risk.

That, collectively, they have been ordered to pay over £5,600 as a result of their offending makes clear to all that crime in the private security industry does not pay, and the Security Industry Authority will make sure of that.

Background

By law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence. Information about SIA enforcement and penalties can be found on GOV.UK/SIA.

The offences relating to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 mentioned above are:

• Section 3 – engaging in licensable conduct without a licence
• Section 5 – supply of unlicensed operatives

The SIA is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK, reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA’s main duties are the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).

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