’Irrelevant’ criminal record checks harm ex-offenders’ job hopes – The Guardian

‘The criminal records system is hampering the rehabilitation of ex-offenders, according to new figures. Nearly three quarters of the million or so convictions revealed to employers each year in criminal records checks are more than a decade old. Only around 5,000 – one in 197 – are considered relevant to a person’s job application.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Manchester police face legal bid over teen’s naked photo details – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2017 in children, criminal records, indecent photographs of children, news, police by sally

‘A police force is facing a legal challenge against its refusal to delete the details of a teenager who sent a naked photograph of himself on social media to a girl at his school.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Institute of Licensing warns ministers that licensing system putting public safety at risk – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 31st, 2017 in criminal records, licensing, news, taxis by sally

‘The Institute of Licensing (IoL) has written to the Government to raise concerns about failings in the taxi and private hire licensing system that it claims are putting public safety at risk.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th October 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Youth Justice System ‘Falls Short’ of Human Rights Obligations, MPs Claim – Rights Info

‘The current system of disclosing past convictions undermines the principles of the youth justice system, according to a report published today by the Justice Committee.’

Full Story

Rights Info, 27th October 2017

Source: rightsinfo.org

Youth crime disclosure rules wholly inappropriate, say MPs – BBC News

‘Rules on disclosing crimes committed in childhood in England and Wales should be “radically revised”, say MPs.’

Full Story

BBC News, 27th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Top police officer backs ‘Sammy’s law’ pardons for grooming victims – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2017 in child abuse, criminal records, gangs, news, police, sexual grooming, victims by sally

‘Victims of grooming gangs should be pardoned for crimes they committed under the direction of their abuser, Britain’s leading child protection police officer has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ministers to tighten disqualification criteria for councillors and mayors – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 21st, 2017 in consultations, criminal records, disqualification, local government, news by sally

‘Individuals who are given an anti-social behaviour injunction or a criminal behaviour order or who are added to the sex offenders’ register will no longer be able to be a councillor or elected mayor, under reforms put out to consultation this week.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

A driving conviction stopped me from becoming a barrister – The Guardian

Posted July 24th, 2017 in barristers, criminal records, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service signed up to give everyone a fair chance to apply for jobs, including those with criminal records – but it has a long way to go.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

The right to put your past behind you: Court of Appeal Art.8 ruling – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 5th, 2017 in appeals, criminal records, disclosure, human rights, news by sally

‘R (o.t.a P & others) v. Secretary of State for Home Department & others [2017] EWCA Civ 321, Court of Appeal, 3 May 2017.
The Court of Appeal has upheld challenges to the system of the police retaining information about past misconduct. It held that the system, even after a re-boot in 2013 in response to an earlier successful challenge, remains non-compliant with Article 8.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th May 2017

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Government loses criminal records disclosure appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 5th, 2017 in criminal records, disclosure, government departments, news by sally

‘The government will have to go back to the drawing board over its criminal records disclosure scheme after losing a Court of Appeal challenge in relation to rules for multiple convictions.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Child sex exploitation report suggests taxi driver database – BBC News

Posted April 7th, 2017 in child abuse, criminal records, news, reports, sexual offences, taxis by sally

‘A national database of licensed taxi drivers should be introduced to make it easier to spot those with a criminal past, according to a review into child sex exploitation. The serious case review examined all the reports of child sex exploitation in Buckinghamshire since 1998.’

Full story

BBC News, 7th April 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Safeguarding in Sport – Blackstone Chambers

Posted April 6th, 2017 in child abuse, children, criminal records, news, sport, vetting by sally

‘This paper is the first in a series to be published on the Sports Law Bulletin following presentations made at Blackstone Chambers’ Integrity in Sport – the Battleground seminar on 30th March 2017.’

Full story

Blackstone Chambers, 5th April

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Rape victims with records of minor offences regularly denied compensation – The Independent

Posted April 6th, 2017 in compensation, criminal records, news, rape, victims by sally

‘Rape victims are routinely denied compensation because they have convictions for minor offences such as failing to pay a TV licence, according to a new study.’

Full story

The Independent, 5th April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Drivers given taxi licences despite criminal convictions – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2017 in criminal records, licensing, news, taxis by sally

‘Hundreds of taxi drivers have been granted licences despite declaring criminal convictions for sex offences, burglary and assault, figures show.’

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Migrant teachers and nurses face overseas crime checks – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2017 in criminal records, disclosure, news, nurses, social services, teachers, visas by sally

‘Teachers, nurses and social workers from outside the European Union are set to face criminal record checks before being allowed to work in the UK.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sex offender jailed for having one-night stand with woman he met in pub without telling police – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 20th, 2017 in criminal records, news, notification, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A man banned from having sex without first telling the police has been sent to jail for 16 months for having a one-night stand with a woman he met in a pub.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th January 201

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

London criminal check delays a ‘great concern’ as jobs lost – BBC News

Posted December 14th, 2016 in criminal records, delay, London, news, police, vetting by sally

‘The speed at which mandatory criminal checks are being completed by the Metropolitan Police is of “great concern”, a government department said.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th December 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Minibus licence loophole puts people at risk – councils – BBC News

Posted December 5th, 2016 in criminal records, licensing, news, transport by sally

‘A legal loophole that allows minibus drivers to operate without undergoing a criminal record check is putting passengers in danger, councils say.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd December 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Turing Bill’ for gay pardons fails in Parliament – BBC News

Posted October 24th, 2016 in bills, criminal records, homosexuality, news, pardons, sexual offences by michael

‘A bill that would have wiped clean the criminal records of thousands of gay men has fallen at its first parliamentary hurdle.’

Full story

BBC News, 21st October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Minister unveils plans to pardon thousands under ‘Turing’s Law’ – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 20th, 2016 in bills, crime, criminal records, homosexuality, pardons, press releases by sally

‘Thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted of now abolished sexual offences will be posthumously pardoned, Justice Minister Sam Gyimah announced.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 20th October 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice