Alister Thorby Loses Security Licence After $1.4 Million Deception Conviction

The Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority (PSPLA) has cancelled the licence of security worker Alister Thorby, following his conviction for serious dishonesty offences involving more than $1.4 million in false invoices.

On 6 August 2025, Thorby was convicted on a representative charge of obtaining by deception, which consolidated 17 separate charges he had been facing. Court findings revealed that Thorby set up a company and issued false invoices for security services and other work that was never carried out. The invoices totalled $1.4 million, and some of them claimed to provide security services despite his company not holding a valid security licence.

In its 4 September 2025 ruling $[2025] NZPSPLA 094$, the Authority found that Thorby’s conviction constituted an offence of dishonesty, which is a mandatory ground for disqualification under section 62 of the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010.

Thorby did not attend the PSPLA hearing, nor did he submit any response to the Police complaint.

The Authority determined that:

• His offending was serious, planned, and ongoing.

• It involved a serious breach of trust with his employer.

• He is no longer considered a suitable or responsible security employee.

The Authority formally ordered that:

1. Thorby’s Certificate of Approval be cancelled immediately.

2. He must return his security ID card to the Licensing Authority within seven days.

The case highlights ongoing risks in the New Zealand security sector where individuals may exploit trust and loopholes. The PSPLA’s decision underscores the importance of compliance and the consequences of dishonesty in an industry built on responsibility and reliability.

Alister Thorby’s conviction and the subsequent cancellation of his licence represent one of the more serious cases of deception seen in the security industry in recent years. With $1.4 million in false invoices and a breach of trust at its core, the ruling sends a clear message that dishonesty has no place in the private security profession.