Shropshire security firm boss locked up after warning witness against testifying

Matthew Davies ran Craven Arms-based Showtime Security which supplied unqualified security guards to events and businesses over an 18-month period up to September 2016, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The 43-year-old admitted breaking Security Industry Authority rules on one contract but denied six other similar offences.

One of these involved a man supplied by his company to the Shropshire Housing Group to prevent vandalism during a building project on Shrewsbury's Radbrook Campus not having the SIA licence needed to work as a security guard in July 2016.

Witness

During the run up to his trial Davies made several attempts to stop Thomas Ashton of Shropshire Housing Group testifying against him.

He warned that Mr Ashton would face a 'hard time' in the witness box and might be accused of perjury over alleged conflicts in his evidence, explained Mr Robert Fitt, prosecuting.

Davies, from Woodyard Lane in Quatt, near Bridgnorth, was cleared of the six charges after arguing his workers were engaged in roles that did not require the licence. But he was convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Ex-partner

His former partner, 29-year-old Maria Francis, admitted all seven breaches of SIA rules during which unqualified security guards were supplied at the 2015 V-Dubs in the Valley near Bridgnorth, Tuffins Supermarket in Craven Arms and the young adults shelter Ludlow Foyer.

Miss Laura Nash, for Francis, said Showtime Security accounts revealed the firm was £102,000 in debt in February and a winding up petition had been lodged.

Mr Brian Treadwell, for Davies, commented: "The washing of dirty linen in public does not assist either defendant."

Judge Peter Barrie observed: "Having suitably qualified staff is at the heart of security guard business but most of the contracts involved in this case were short lived and non gave rise to any security failure due to lack of training."

He gave Francis a two-year condition discharged because she played a minor role but warned she would have to pay costs at the conclusion of Proceeds of Crime proceedings against both defendants.

The judge told Davies that the company had been right to plead guilty to the offences on which the businessman was acquitted and added: "You are sometimes a bully and you tried to bully Mr Ashton. Trying to undermine the rule of law is a very serious offence."

Showtime Security Guards, which is still trading although in significant debt, was fined £2,700 and ordered to pay £500 costs.