Look out there’s a PI about

A man who admits to being nosey has earned his dream job keeping tabs on other people.

Mr Gavin Burton is a newly-qualified private investigator about to set up his own investigation company.

Mr Burton (36) of Newark, wanted to become a private investigator when he was 17, but felt he would not be trusted to undertake investigations because of his age.

After a series of jobs, including running a pub and his own gardening business, Mr Burton finally decided to fulfil his ambition by enrolling on a private investigation course.

“I just thought it would be something different — I’m nosey anyway,” he said.

“It is not an everyday job and something I think that is exciting.”

Mr Burton said in reality the job was nothing like the depiction of private investigators in films such as The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep.

He said it could involve long hours carrying out surveillance with nothing happening.

He has spent the last year completing assignments with the Institute of Private Investigation, Somerset.

The assignments were real-life investigations and included shadowing a family member for five hours without them finding out.

Mr Burton, who is married to Mrs Joanne Smith-Burton (33) also had to find out where to obtain public information, and about data protection and human rights laws.

He continued working at Hornes Removals and Storage, Newark, while he did the course, which was completed through correspondence.

Mr Burton achieved top grades in all of his assignments and achieved a Diploma in Private Investigation with distinction.

He officially starts his new business, Paladin Investigations, next month, although he has already been doing informal work.

Paladin means protector of the innocent. Mr Burton chose the word for his business name after it was used in the television programme Bones, which is based on forensics and police procedures.

The types of cases he will take on will include insurance fraud surveillance, divorce and fidelity investigations and background checks.

The company will offer a specialised service for solicitors and other businesses, as well as for individuals.

Mr Burton said one of the basic rules of private investigation was impartiality, no matter what the outcome of a case.

He said he had carried out market research and found there were few businesses offering the same service in the area he will cover — Newark, Grantham, Lincoln and Retford.

For more information visit www.paladinpi.co.uk