A man tried to falsify character references in a bid to convince investigators he was “fit and proper” to hold a door supervisors licence.

Zahkier Hussain, 26, from Bury, had appealed to the Security Industry Authority after being refused a licence due to his past history.

But Bolton Magistrates Court heard how in doing so he had supplied two character references, one of them from an address in the borough, which falsely claimed that they were neighbours and former colleagues.

SIA criminal investigation manager Mark Chapman said: “Zahkier Hussain deliberately sought to evade the rigorous verification processes that the SIA uses to assess whether someone is ‘fit and proper’ to be an SIA licence holder.

The Bolton News: The case was heard at Bolton Magistrates CourtThe case was heard at Bolton Magistrates Court (Image: Newsquest)

“Zahkier Hussain tried repeatedly to get a licence but failed due to his previous history.”

The court heard how Hussain, of Canning Street, Bury, submitted the first character reference, which claimed to be from someone in Bolton, on March 29 last year, while on May 4 he then falsified a second reference.

But an investigation by the SIA found that both of the people Hussain had named, including the one he said had been living in Bolton, in fact lived at the same address as him.

These facts were later verified for the court by Bury Council.

The investigators say they invited Hussain to an interview-under-caution but he did not respond or engage with them which they say gave them no option but to prosecute him.

Brought before Bolton Magistrates Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of making an article for use in fraud and two counts of using a false instrument with intent it be accepted as genuine.

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The defendant was sentenced to a 12-month community order and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Hussain was also ordered to pay £2000 prosecution costs with a £95 victim surcharge.

Mr Chapman said: “His guilty pleas to the counterfeiting and fraud offences and last Monday’s sentence and financial penalties reflects the seriousness of the charges brought.

“It is highly unlikely that he will be able to work in the UK’s private security industry in the future.”