Cash transit-to-security guards group Securicor has sold its loss-making IT consultancy business for just over £30 million.

The group sold Securicor Information Services (SIS), based in Chippenham, to its management and private equity backers.

SIS, which employs more than 500 people, provides IT consultancy services to the emergency services, local and central government, parts of the criminal justice system and corporate customers.

Securicor's chief executive Nick Buckles, said that the deal brings a programme of disposing of non-core assets to completion.

Last Thursday Sutton, Surrey-based Securicor announced the £10 million sale of its cash machines business.

And in March it said it was offloading its stake in a parcels and logistics joint venture which includes Securicor Omega Express to Deutsche Post for 247 million euros (£167 million).

Mr Buckles said: "Having reviewed this business in the context of the justice market, it was clear that there were few customer synergies between SIS and our other businesses."

The deal brings in a cash payment of £29.8 million plus up to another £0.5 million relating to various assets including money from any sale of SIS's equipment services unit to a third party.