Scarborough man prosecuted for supplying fake reference to SIA

On 1 May 2026 at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court, Mr Fenwick pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. As a result, he was ordered to pay a fine of £230, a victim surcharge of £90 and prosecution costs of £600, totalling £920. 

In October 2025, Mr Fenwick supplied the SIA with a reference purporting to be from his supervisor at a former place of employment. SIA licensing staff then reached out to the supervisor who confirmed that he had not given any reference for Mr Fenwick. 

During an interview under caution with SIA investigators at Scarborough Police Station, Mr Fenwick admitted to forging the reference to try to attain an SIA licence without having to supply a legitimate employment reference. 

Nicola Bolton, SIA Criminal Enforcement Manager said: 

Mr Fenwick’s attempt to deceive the SIA in our licensing process had the potential to put the public at risk. Thankfully that point was never reached as the deception was swiftly identified by the SIA’s Licensing Team. Our licensing process is robust, and anyone who attempts to cheat the system will be dealt with appropriately.