Wine bar bouncer given criminal record for working without licence

A man who illegally worked as a bouncer at a Cardigan wine bar has been prosecuted.

David James was ordered to pay a total of £754 and now has a criminal record after he was discovered working without a valid Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.

Police became concerned about the risk to the public following reported disturbances at the bar in April and August 2022 when they discovered that unlicensed security had been injured in fights there.

Officers first inspected the bar in September 2022 and found James dressed in a black t-shirt with the word ‘security’ written across it, but he was not wearing a valid SIA licence, as required by law.

He was seen working at the bar on two other occasions and ejected a customer using reasonable force.

James told police he had completed his training but was yet to receive his SIA licence.

He participated in an interview-under-caution on 28 February 2023 at Dyfed Powys Police Station where he admitted to working illegally.

James was formerly licensed until 10 January 2021 and failed to renew his license, despite reminders from the SIA.

He was handed a £360 fine and ordered to pay £250 prosecution costs and a £144 victim surcharge.

It comes after two other men were prosecuted for working illegally at the same wine bar.

Nicola Bolton, criminal investigations manager at the SIA, said: “[James’] actions put the public at risk particularly in a busy venue in Cardigan’s night-time economy. Some of the public incurred injuries from the violence that occurred. Had the defendants renewed their licences they would also have received refresher training which would probably have equipped them to deal with these incidents more effectively.

“The main feature of the case is that the defendant had previously held and was therefore aware of the licensing regime and the need to have a licence but chose to deliberately circumvent it.”

She said the actions of Dyfed Powys Police meant that the bar’s customers were now safer without “unsuitable people” working in the night-time economy.

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