Suspended jail sentence for Craigavon man with previous offences who faked criminal record check when applying for airport job
A judge said it was a "serious matter" that a man with previous offences faked a criminal record check when applying for a job at Belfast International Airport.
A man with a Craigavon address has pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by false representation regarding a 'false Access NI certificate' with the intention to 'cause loss to Belfast International Airport'. Access NI is a criminal record disclosure service.
David Alfred (21), a student, of Dickson's Wood, committed the offence on June 16 this year. The defendant was at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena.
A prosecutor said a security administrator at Belfast International Airport reported to police there had been a discrepancy noticed in an application for an "airport pass" by Alfred.
The prosecutor that on June 16 this year the defendant "fraudulently obtained employment at the airport by providing an altered document relating to his previous convictions disclosed on an Access NI certificate".
The defendant had a previous record - being at Craigavon Magistrates Court in August 2023 for driving matters - no insurance, no licence and taking a vehicle without the authority of the owner.
A defence solicitor said the defendant had taken his parent's vehicle without consent. The defendant had then appeared at Craigavon Court in October 2024 for three counts of fraud by false representation and two counts of theft.
The defence solicitor said the defendant had found a bank card and used it on three occasions.
Regarding the airport, the prosecutor said "these convictions would have disqualified the defendant from holding an airport security pass".
She said the fraud was uncovered when an original document was viewed by staff. A security questionnaire which was also required for the pass to be issued had declarations which were false uploaded to the airport application system.
When interviewed about the fraud the defendant said his "phone software had accidentally removed the previous convictions from the Access NI certificate and that the questionnaire had been completed in a rush and was incorrect".
District Judge Nigel Broderick asked: "Did he actually get the job before it came to light?" and the prosecutor said: "I believe he did get the job."
The judge added: "Did he work at the job? Did he get wages?" He asked the defence solicitor: "Did your client start his employment and receive payment?"
The defence solicitor said: "I don't believe he ever actually started work and received remuneration."
The defendant, it was said, had sought "ad hoc summer work" and "I don't think it ever actually came to fruition. It had been identified at an early stage".
The prosecutor said the defendant had "attended the office to collect his full identification pass. As part of collecting that pass that is when the documents came to light."
The judge said: "He didn't actually start employment then?" The prosecutor said "No". Judge Broderick said: "It was nipped in the bud".
The defence solicitor said the defendant, a student, accepts "full culpability" and wished to apologise. He said it had been "extremely foolish" behaviour by the defendant.
Judge Broderick said: "It is clearly a serious matter to apply for any job but especially one that involves security at an airport and to fail to disclose previous convictions is a matter of particular concern."
The defendant was given a four months prison term suspended for two years.