On Monday 11 January 2021 Muyiwa John Adegbola, a door supervisor based in Manchester, pleaded guilty to fraud for allowing his brother-in-law to use his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence. He was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to 32 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. The SIA also prosecuted Adegbola for failing to provide information as part of its investigation.

On 7 June 2019, when SIA investigators were carrying out licensing checks with Cheshire Constabulary, they visited the Revolution Bar in Wilmslow and found a door supervisor who had an SIA licence bearing the name M Adegbola. However, when he was asked to confirm his address as part of the checks, he was unsure of those details. When questioned further, he admitted that he was not Adegbola, but his brother-in-law.

SIA investigators seized the SIA licence. Further enquiries revealed that Adegbola was employed as a door supervisor but claimed to have lost his SIA licence during Christmas 2018. He was sent a replacement, which was the licence his brother-in-law used in June 2019. Having uncovered that Adegbola had provided his SIA licence to another, the SIA suspended it on 12 June 2019.

A week later, Adegbola contacted the SIA to dispute the suspension of his licence. He claimed to have lost his wallet with his SIA licence inside it and had reported this to the police. He also stated that he was on sick leave, implying that he could not have been working in June 2019.

The SIA contacted Adegbola again to request further information. However, he failed to respond, which is an offence under the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001.

Nathan Salmon, the SIA’s Criminal Investigations Manager, said:

Mr Adegbola facilitated an unlicensed person undertaking a role as a Door Supervisor without the required training or verification. He did this by providing his own licence and continuing to receive renumeration, which he then passed on. This is a totally inappropriate and fraudulent course of action.

While Adegbola thought he could lie and get away with it, the court saw through this and we are pleased with the result.

In addition to the 32 weeks’ suspended sentence, Adegbola has been ordered by the court to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 80 days of unpaid work. In addition, he was ordered to pay costs of £200, a victim surcharge and his SIA licence has been revoked.

The SIA is prosecuting Adegbola’s brother-in-law separately.

Notes to editors:

• by law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence
• read about SIA enforcement and penalties
• the offence relating to the Private Security Industry Act (2001) that is mentioned in the above news release is: Section 19 (failing to provide information relating to an investigation)
• read the Private Security Industry Act (2001)
• the offences relating to the Fraud Act (2006) that are mentioned in the above news release are: Section 1 (aiding and abetting by false representation); Section 7 (supplying an article for use in fraud) (his SIA licence)
• read the Fraud Act (2006)

Further information:

• The Security Industry Authority is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom, reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Our main duties are: the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities; and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.
• For further information about the Security Industry Authority visit www.gov.uk/sia. The SIA is also on Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (SIAuk).
• Media enquiries only please contact: 0300 123 9869, media.enquiries@sia.gov.uk

• Over 5,000 Armed Forces personnel are now deployed on the largest ever peacetime resilience operation, across all four of the home nations and focused on three strands of the Covid response – testing, vaccines and clinical support for the NHS.
  • 20 Vaccine Quick Reaction Force teams have now been deployed and a further 21 are standing-up to double the Armed Forces support available for vaccinating.
  • A further 800 defence medics are joining NHS workers on the front line of hospitals across the UK
  • 2400 personnel continue to support community testing across England, representing nearly half of the deployed force

Vaccines

As efforts to vaccinate all priority groups continue, 20 Vaccine Quick Reaction Force teams have now been deployed in support of the NHS. These mobile teams have deployed to help administer vaccines wherever requested, including Ashton Gate in Bristol and Southend University in Essex.

The number of teams available to provide short notice vaccine support to the NHS has now increased from 20 to 41 in order to ensure further support can be immediately provided if required by the NHS as it continues to accelerate the vaccine rollout.

This is in addition to the 28 military planners that the MoD has deployed to assist the Vaccine Task Force in Skipton House – including Brigadier Phil Prosser, Commander 101 Logistic Brigade – and a further 200 personnel working across the UK to support organisational and logistical components of the Vaccine Deployment Programme.

In Scotland 88 soldiers from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are building 80 new vaccine centres for NHS Scotland, and in Wales 90 personnel are deployed to support Health Boards rapidly establish and operate vaccination centres.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Defence medics are now deployed on the homefront in the highest numbers during peacetime, supporting the NHS in testing, vaccinating, and hospitals.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Armed Forces personnel deployed in all four corners of the United Kingdom, helping communities across the country to combat the effects of this virus. They are working hard alongside colleagues in the NHS and local authorities, but are ready to do more if and when the call comes.

Hospitals

Hundreds of defence medics are deploying to NHS hospitals across the UK to work in intensive care units and other patient facing roles, providing vital care alongside NHS professionals, and supported by general duties personnel to fulfil non-clinical roles and help relieve pressure on NHS colleagues wherever they are needed most.

A further 800 medics will join the 1,600 already embedded within the NHS, in a number of locations where support has been requested, including:

• 110 defence medics deploying to support the Department of Health in Northern Ireland
  • Over 100 defence medics supporting hospitals in the East of England and Kent
  • Over 200 defence medics supporting five hospitals in London
  • Around 120 working in NHS hospitals in the Midlands
  • Over 100 defence medics supporting hospitals in the South West
  • Around 30 defence medics supporting the North West Nightingale hospital
  • Driving ambulances for Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust and supporting the vaccine rollout in Wales
  • Over 600 general duties personnel are supporting these deployments in non-clinical roles, providing logistics and administrative support to NHS colleagues.

The majority of the 800 defence medics supporting hospitals are trained as Combat Medical Technicians, who in their day job deploy on overseas operations and exercises as medics, work in defence medical centres and provide medical training to fellow Service Personnel.

The standing up of hundreds of defence medics is being achieved without drawing on those personnel who are already working in NHS trusts and with minimal impact to Defence activities, including training and supporting the recovery of military personnel.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:

With over 4.9 million people vaccinated so far across all four corners of the UK, we’re on track to meet our target of offering a vaccine to the most vulnerable groups by February 15th.

Everyone can play a part in our fight against the virus and I’m grateful to the extraordinary efforts of our armed forces who are doing their bit to help deliver the biggest medical deployment this country has ever seen.

Working alongside our healthcare heroes and local partners, they will help support the roll out of the vaccine as quickly as possible across the UK.

Testing

Deployments continue in support of community testing across England, with 2,400 military personnel deployed on tasks in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Kent. The testing programmes are drawing on lessons from last year’s Liverpool pilot, helping to identify asymptomatic cases in specific cohorts and break chains of transmission, helping to keep key workers safe and able to undertake their essential jobs in support of the wider community.

The military have also helped schools and colleges set up testing processes to keep safe the staff, vulnerable children and the children of key workers. There are also c.320 military personnel who are supporting the Department for Transport to test hauliers. Armed Forces personnel have helped to keep millions of tonnes of freight moving between the UK and the continent.

As the owner of the Grenfell Tower site, the government wants to engage with bereaved family members, survivors, local residents and the North Kensington community, on decisions and activity relating to the Tower.

A decision has not yet been made about what will happen to the Tower. We don’t underestimate how difficult this decision will be, particularly for bereaved families. We want to hear your views before a decision is made, and to ensure you are supported to have your say.

Kaizen, a community engagement specialist, is helping the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to hear thoughts and ideas from bereaved family members, survivors, local residents and the North Kensington community, about the Tower. At the same time, Kaizen is also helping the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission to hear from people about the future memorial.

If you have not yet shared your views and would like to, you can do this in whichever way suits you best:

• Email your views to: grenfellmemorial@kaizen.org.uk
• Call: 020 7082 5505 or text 07984 434855 to arrange a phone conversation. (Conversations can be carried out in a range of languages if that would be helpful.)
• Write to: Kaizen, 22a Cliff Villas, London NW1 9AT.
• Or complete an online survey

As well as giving your views to Kaizen, you can also reach out to the MHCLG team directly, who can answer any questions you have:

Email: GrenfellTowerSite@communities.gov.uk or phone: 0303 444 0011

Click here to receive automatic updates about Grenfell Tower from MHCLG.

You can also contact the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission directly and find out about the memorial ideas they have heard so far on their website.

The attached letter provides further information.

The agreement aims to get the best possible outcome for offenders on leaving custody.

The agreement, the first of its kind, is a contract between the department and prisons, setting out a steadfast commitment to working together and outlining shared objectives.

It is hoped this joined-up approach will effectively support offenders in preparation for release, and ultimately reduce reoffending which costs the taxpayer £18 billion each year.

Local Partnership Agreements form part of National Partnership Agreements, which aim to support businesses by increasing opportunities and moving unemployed people into sustainable jobs.

Minister for Welfare Delivery, Will Quince, said:

We are proud to be joining forces with HMPPS through this unique partnership and together we remain committed to ensuring prison leavers stay out of jail for good.

Our dedicated teams of Prison Work Coaches are passionate about finding work for prison leavers. Preparing them for employment and life back in the community before release we know can make a life-changing difference and help free them from crime.

Minister for Prisons, Lucy Frazer, added:

Helping prisoners find work is a crucial part of turning their lives around and cutting crime.

This new partnership will mean prisoners are able to prepare for employment while they’re getting ready for release – benefitting them, the economy and society as a whole.

Under the agreement, each partner sets out their defined roles and statutory responsibilities, but each must work together to ensure the most effective join-up between services to provide support to those in custody, and on leaving.

Each local agreement is tailored to the individual prison. Quarterly meetings will be held between both partners and the agreement regularly reviewed.

This collaborative approach between the DWP and HMPPS to support prisoners brings together many services from providing work experience and education in prison and beyond, through to support, training and employment opportunities for ex-offenders.

And now, thanks to the national rollout of a phone line, prison leavers will also be supported to claim Universal Credit online, and can apply for an advance meaning they can access money on the day of release.

East Anglia District Manager Julia Nix said:

Everybody deserves a second chance. Many prison leavers want to make a change on release and return to a life of work, and that has to be beneficial for the economy.

Together with support from HMPPS we encourage, support and prepare prisoners for employment because we know that a job can help turn their lives around, lift them from poverty, and that motivates us every day.

Additional information

The following prisons have signed Local Partnership Agreements and more are expected to follow shortly:

• HMP Wayland
• HMP YOI Hollesley Bay
• HMP YOI Norwich
• HMP Rochester

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 3267 5144

Follow DWP on:

• New Health and Wellbeing Fund to focus on mothers living in black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) communities or deprived areas
• The 19 projects will help to promote nutrition, learning, language development and mental health during pregnancy and post-birth
• The fund will support the government’s pledge to level up communities and reduce health inequalities

The winners of a new multi-million pound fund to reduce health inequalities among new mothers and babies have been announced.

The Health and Wellbeing Fund, based on the theme of ‘starting well’, will help charities run and expand projects to:

• boost mental health for new and expectant mothers
• improve the development of babies and children
• give people the best chance for a healthy start by preventing obesity and diabetes

Set up across the country from Cornwall to Lancashire, the 19 winning projects include a number of innovative schemes aimed at levelling up BAME groups and promoting healthy behaviours.

Public Health Minister, Jo Churchill said:

Everyone deserves to live a long, healthy life and the perfect time to start to achieve it is in the beginning. Vital support for improving mental health of mothers, nutrition of babies and the learning and development of children in early years will help ensure the best possible start by reducing the inequality that some face.

We have had some fantastic, innovative applications for the Health and Wellbeing Fund. I’m looking forward to seeing these winning projects in action, making real, tangible improvements to the lives and health of families.

The Health and Wellbeing Fund: Starting Well will see the 19 projects given a share of up to £7.6 million over 3 years to improve the lives of families in their local areas.

Some of the projects include:

• a scheme in Birmingham which will expand an existing parental engagement programme to reach parents earlier – the project will support the earlier identification of children who need language support before the age of 2 through building the knowledge and confidence in early years’ practitioners and professionals, as well as their parents
• a project in Croydon which will support survivors of trafficking and asylum seekers by tailoring intensive support to meet mothers’ needs – it will include weekly emotional support from trained perinatal peer support volunteers and qualified doulas as birth companions for the most vulnerable
• scheme in Leicester which will provide a joined-up care pathway for all families with a focus on BAME communities, giving children the best start in life by complementing existing statutory provision – the service will expand the reach of breastfeeding antenatal support, with a focus on younger women and those who do not speak English

The Health and Wellbeing Fund is already supporting 23 social prescribing schemes and 23 children and young people’s mental health schemes that are providing important services to communities across England.

It is a part of the Health and Wellbeing Programme, a joint initiative by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI).

The Health and Wellbeing Fund is run by the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance.

Projects will be funded over 3 years, up to a ceiling of £7.65 million. The funding amounts after the first year are to be agreed each year subject to the next Spending Review.

The Health and Wellbeing Fund is an integral element of the Health and Wellbeing Programme, part of a programme of government investment in the voluntary sector. The programme is run in a partnership between DHSC, NHSEI and PHE.

The Health and Wellbeing Alliance is a key element of the Health and Wellbeing Programme, the aim of which is to promote health equalities and reduce health inequalities across the country.

Successful projects

1. Hestia Housing and Support

Location: London Borough of Croydon

The project will expand Happy Baby Community’s community-based model of perinatal support to highly disadvantaged pregnant women who have suffered multiple traumas in partnership with Hestia. The project will support survivors of trafficking and asylum seekers by tailoring intensive support to meet mother’s needs. Delivery will include weekly emotional support from trained perinatal peer support volunteers and qualified doulas as birth companions for the most vulnerable.

2. St Michael’s Fellowship

Location: Lambeth, London

The project will expand the holistic support offer to expectant and young parents by focusing on supporting fathers. The service involves highly bespoke one-to-one support and group work covering child development, family wellbeing, moves to work readiness and healthy relationships. The Caring Dads group supports fathers to see their importance in their children’s lives, encouraging their commitment to their children will begin to include expectant father and very young fathers. Content development for digital app supporting families will include short videos designed for fathers. The project is expected to support 40% Black Caribbean, Black British or Black African fathers.

3. National Childbirth Trust (NCT)

Location: Newham, London

NCT’s current perinatal peer support programme in Newham is a strengths-based, early intervention approach to helping expectant and new mothers (up to 2 years post-birth) who are socially isolated, experience mental health difficulties, and struggle to access services. Both one-to-one and group support is delivered by trained volunteers with lived experience. The service will expand to further embed and enhance our offer, with a particular focus on reaching more BAME women.

4. National Literacy Trust

Location: Birmingham

In partnership Birmingham Forward Steps the project will expand an existing parental engagement programme to reach parents earlier, when their child is one. The project will support the earlier identification of children who need language support before the age of 2 through building the knowledge and confidence in early years’ practitioners and professionals – all while developing the skills and confidence of their parents/carers, enabling them to consistently support their child’s speech, language and communication

5. Spurgeons

Location: Birmingham

In partnership with Birmingham Forward Steps the projects aims to improve the perinatal health and mental health of Pakistani mothers. This project will provide specific and dedicated resource to engage directly with the Pakistani community and increase engagement with support services. The project will recruit volunteers from within the Pakistani community who will receive training to offer befriending and information, advice and guidance to those within their communities.

Location: Birmingham, Midlands

The project will deliver an empowering health coaching provision that sustains lifestyle changes and health benefits for BAME mothers and their children (2.5 years) at risk of developing chronic disease and obesity. Integrated with GP services, the project will support families on nutrition, prevention and managing type 2 diabetes.

Location: West Midlands

The service will expand by recruiting and training 11 part-time Community Connectors (CC) who will be located at partner sites to maximise access to high deprived and BAME communities. CC will increase the skills and capacity of support within the diverse communities’ sensitive to the cultural needs. CC will build trust in the community to engage expectant mothers early and support them to register with maternity services.

8. Centre for Fun and Families Ltd

Location: Leicester

The project aims for a joined-up care pathway for all families with a focus of BAME, giving children the best start in life by complementing existing statutory provision. The service will expand the reach of breastfeeding antenatal with a focus on younger women and those not speaking English, workshops such as weaning/healthy eating family and existing antenatal education programmes.

9. PSS (UK) Ltd (and Everton in the Community)

Location: Liverpool

The currently project provides early intervention therapeutic service which works to strengthen bonds and interdependencies within families. It will expand to reach families who live complex lives and are in earlier need of support. In partnership with Everton in the Community the project will offer a specialised and targeted ‘father’s’ element

10. Koala North West

Location: Wirral

The current services will expand to targets Wirral’s five most deprived wards and provided tailored practical and emotional support that improves wellbeing, reduces isolation and supports both children and caregivers to thrive. New support groups such as an antenatal Breastfeeding Peer Support will be created, and additional Perinatal volunteers recruited to support families.

11. Home-Start Manchester

Location: Manchester

The current parent-infant mental health (PIMHS) service provides consistent, whole-family approach which improves the way families of 0-2 year-olds are supported through pregnancy and early childhood. The expansion aims to address and overcome three barriers (Language, Culture and Digital exclusion) to support for the most disadvantaged families and BAME in our communities.

12. Lancashire Women

Location: Lancashire

The current service provides therapy to support parents who have babies admitted to a neonatal intensive care Unit (NICU) or have experienced the loss of a child. The service will expand to support families in Preston and Blackpool NICU and fetal medicine clinics at Burnley, Preston and Blackpool hospitals.

13. Bevan Healthcare CIC

Location: Bradford

The project will expand, and strengthen the preconception care focus of our inclusive health programme for highly vulnerable women in Bradford. It will deliver an inclusive health approach to preconception care reflecting both the crucial role this plays in successful pregnancy and children’s lifelong health and the identified needs, experiences and life circumstances of the target communities.

Location: Kirklees

Thriving Kirklees is a VCSE-led partnership delivering vital front-line family health and support services. The service will expand by a new working model within BAME and similarly excluded communities and integrates home-based support services, engages local people in planning, and significantly increases take-up and involvement.

15. Family Action

Location: Stockton

The current service is perinatal peer support (PPS), which provides early intervention and prevention for those diagnosed with, or at risk of, low to medium-level mental health issues including anxiety and depression. The service will expand to included one-to-one, tailored support from perinatal coordinators, therapeutic play groups and digital coaching

16. Trelya

Location: Cornwall

The current service ‘Skylar’ is a community-centred, whole-family provision which takes a ‘360-degree holistic approach’ considering and working within all areas of each child’s life. The project will expand to include a specialist provision for children and families from pregnancy to 2.5 years, the number of families and children from pregnancy to 2.5 years who access Skylar.

17. Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind Ltd

Location: Peterborough

The expansion project focuses on coproducing and designing current perinatal mental health service, support groups and courses to engage with Muslim women. It will include improving relevancy and cultural appeal to Muslim women and include faith-based content, culturally sensitive language, and will be co-produced with facilitators from the Muslim community.

18. Splitz Support Service

Location: Wiltshire, South West England

The project aims to improve community knowledge, access to and engagement with pre-conception, perinatal, domestic abuse and other specialist services for targeted communities. The service employs BAME community development workers aimed at increasing the number of BAME being referred and supported to domestic abuse and family interventions and improving services to meet the health and social care needs of individuals and groups.

It delivers dedicated community-based individual and group programmes targeted at vulnerable young women (principally care leavers) at risk from abusive relationships, unwanted pregnancies and self-harm/suicide.

19. Early Years Alliance

Location: Luton

The project will expand the ‘Flying Start’ antenatal and post-natal pathway to enhance service delivery to increase engagement from BAME communities and areas of highest deprivation. A single point of access into the service will simplify the process for parents to access support at the right time.