Taunton man sentenced after Somerton party
On 17 March, Dean Parkinson of Taunton, was sentenced to 4 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years. Parkinson, a director of Palladis Security Services Ltd, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court for sentencing.
On 2 October 2020 Parkinson pleaded guilty to operating a security company without a valid licence. Also to working without a licence, and deploying unlicensed door supervisors.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) prosecuted Parkinson after he provided illegal security services. This was for a Christmas and birthday party for 400 under 18-year-olds on 20 December 2019 in Somerton. The party caused a disturbance and Avon and Somerset Police attended the scene. The police spoke to the party organiser. He confirmed that they had appointed Dean Parkinson and Palladis Security to supply security.
When the police questioned Parkinson, he failed to show a valid licence for himself. He could also not show a license for the four other security workers deployed to the event. Parkinson repeatedly refused to supply SIA investigators with the detail they needed.
“Deliberate and dishonest”
At sentencing, magistrates ruled that Parkinson’s behaviour was deliberate and dishonest. He had put vulnerable young people at risk by using unlicensed and untrained security. In passing sentence, the magistrates made clear that they would have sent Parkinson to prison. That would have reflected the serious nature of his offending. However in mitigation they accepted he was the carer for his 6 children.
Nathan Salmon of the SIA told The Leveller®: “This unlicensed company director deployed unlicensed, and presumably untrained and un-vetted, people to an event where there were a lot of young people present. This could have compromised the safety of those present and led to police being called, placing a drain on local resources.”