Stephen Berrisford pleaded guilty at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court to supplying unlicensed security to the town’s Oktoberfest last year.
Weston-super-Mare man, Stephen Berrisford pleaded guilty at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court to supplying unlicensed security to the town’s Oktoberfest last year.
Mr Berrisford was fined £133 and is required to pay court costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £34 by 31 August 2022.
He is a sole-trader trading as Steve Security & Supply and is in possession of an SIA licence.
Another Weston-super-Mare man
Friday’s sentencing follows the prosecution of another Weston-super-Mare man, Chadd Heath on 6 May, where Heath pleaded guilty to working as unlicensed security at Oktoberfest.
SIA investigators visited the Oktoberfest as part of routine licence inspection in partnership with Devon and Cornwall Police licensing officers on 1 October 2021. They saw three people wearing security jackets at the entrance gate and asked to see their security licences.
Two people correctly displayed their licences, which were verified by the investigators. The third person, Chadd Heath, did not display a licence, and the SIA investigators challenged him.
The incidence
The SIA investigators found that the security was deployed by Steve Security & Supply
That night, Heath wore a jacket marked with the word ‘Security’ which he said he was wearing to keep himself warm. Heath revealed that he did not have a license and was therefore working illegally.
The SIA investigators found that the security was deployed by Steve Security & Supply and on the same night contacted Mr Berrisford, the sole trader of the enterprise to check Mr Heath’s status. Mr Berrisford said that Heath was working as a steward and therefore did not need to be licensed.
The SIA investigation officer found out from the Oktoberfest organisers that they had procured seven door supervisors and no stewards to protect the event.