Soltan May

Soltan May, a registered child sex offender, was sentenced for fraudulently working as a security guard without disclosing his criminal convictions. In February 2023, May was convicted of a child sex offence and placed on the Sex Offenders List. Despite this, he continued to hold a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence, which he had obtained prior to the conviction when he had no criminal record.

Between October and November 2023, May worked on two occasions at Freightliner, a rail freight company in Cardiff, presenting himself as eligible for the role. Licence holders are required to notify the SIA of any relevant convictions, but May failed to do so, thereby concealing his status as a sex offender from both the SIA and his employer. This breach came to light in November 2023 when South Wales Police informed the SIA of May's criminal history. The SIA immediately suspended his licence and initiated a criminal investigation.

Criminal record checks are standard for all SIA licence applicants, but May's prior clean record allowed him initial approval. His actions violated Section 3 of the Fraud Act 2006, concerning fraud by failing to disclose information. On 18 July 2024, May entered a guilty plea at Cardiff Magistrates' Court. Sentencing occurred on 24 September 2024, where District Judge Murphy imposed an 8-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months. Additional requirements included 20 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 60 hours of unpaid work in the community, a £154 victim surcharge, and £2,700 in prosecution costs.

Mark Chapman, Criminal Investigations Manager at the SIA, commented: 'This is another example of close partnership working addressing potential risks to public safety. Security operatives play a vital front line role keeping people safe. It is for this reason we have rigorous licensing criteria in place to make sure licence holders can be trusted to hold these positions of authority. Mr May concealed from us the fact he had a criminal conviction and posed a risk to the public. He is not fit to hold a licence.' The judge noted the aggravating factors: 'This offence is aggravated due to the nature of your convictions, as you would not have been able to work had you disclosed them. There is an abuse of trust given your position as a doorman as you have to protect vulnerable persons.'

The SIA, an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Home Office, regulates the UK's private security industry to protect the public. May's licence suspension ensures he cannot work in the sector in the future. This case highlights the importance of ongoing disclosure requirements for licence holders in positions of public trust.