Technical issue resolved after ‘150,000 police records lost – BBC News
‘The government is assessing the impact of a “technical issue” that led to 150,000 records being deleted from police databases.’
BBC News, 15th January 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: criminal records
Greater Manchester Police ‘failed to record 80,000 crimes in a year’ – BBC News
‘England’s second-largest police force failed to record more than 80,000 crimes in a year and closed cases without proper investigation, a watchdog has found.’
BBC News, 10th December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
New criminal record disclosure rules take effect – UK Human Rights Blog
‘On the 28th November 2020, The Police Act 1997 (Criminal Record Certificates: Relevant Matters) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 (“the Order”) came into force, implementing important changes to the criminal records disclosure rules in England and Wales.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 1st December 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Brexit: UK to ban more EU citizens with criminal records – BBC News
‘Many more EU citizens with criminal records will be barred from entering the UK from January, the Home Office has said.’
BBC News, 22nd October 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
David Lammy: ‘Ex-offenders should have the chance of a clean slate’ – The Guardian
‘There are currently more than 11 million people in the UK with a criminal record. The latest research suggests that nearly three-quarters of ex-offenders are unemployed on release from prison, with 50% of employers saying they would not even consider hiring an ex-offender. This amounts to a second sentence for those who have already served their time, often trapping offenders in a cycle of reoffence. The Ministry of Justice estimates the total economic and social cost of reoffending at £18.1bn per year. The criminal records regime contributes to an extortionately expensive revolving door.’
The Guardian, 13th August 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Home Office barred from deporting Zimbabwean with HIV – The Guardian
‘UK Home Office efforts to deport an HIV-positive Zimbabwean man because of his lengthy criminal record have been blocked after the supreme court ruled removing him would breach his human rights.’
The Guardian, 29th April 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
EXE v Governors of the Royal Naval School [2020] EWHC 596 QB – 39 Essex Chambers
‘The Defendants employed a 30 year old man “Hughes” as a kitchen porter from 15 October 1990 to 10 July 1991 at their school for girls. He was provided with accommodation on the school premises. The Defendants were not aware that Hughes had a criminal record, including offences of indecent assault on a female and unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 15. Had the Defendants been aware of these convictions, Hughes would not have been offered employment.’
39 Essex Chambers, 22nd April 2020
Source: www.39essex.com
Strasbourg Court rules against UK on police retention of data – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Can the police indefinitely retain an individual’s DNA profile, fingerprints and photograph after they have been convicted? That was the question before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Gaughran v UK (no. 45245/15, ECHR 2020). This judgment — which was given for the applicant — is of interest both on the merits and as an example of the way the Court continues to approach issues of this kind.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 26th February 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Criminal record checks system still broken, say campaigners – The Guardian
‘Legal rights campaign groups have described as a “disgrace” the government’s delay in reforming the criminal record checks system.’
The Guardian, 30th January 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Criminal records scandal: police chiefs blame Theresa May – The Guardian
‘Theresa May has been blamed by chief constables for botched police reforms that led to tens of thousands of alerts on foreign criminals being kept from their home countries.’
The Guardian, 15th January 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Social media posts referred to police could show up on DBS background checks despite not being a crime – Daily Telegraph
‘Social media posts referred to police but deemed as non-criminal could still show up on DBS background checks.’
Daily Telegraph, 19th November2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Spent convictions, underlying conduct and the ‘fit and proper person’ test – Local Government Lawyer
‘James Findlay QC and Riccardo Calzavara report on an Upper Tribunal ruling on spent convictions and the “fit and proper person” test for holding a property licence under the Housing Act 2004.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2019
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Assorted – Licensing and prior offences, RROs and Section 8 Notices – Nearly Legal
‘This appeal was on the issue of whether a local authority and the First Tier Tribunal could take into account previous convictions that were spent under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 in deciding whether an applicant for a Housing Act 2004 licence was a ‘fit and proper person’.’
Nearly Legal, 10th November 2019
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Police officers illicitly access police computers including checks on a partner’s criminal record – Daily Telegraph
‘Hundreds of police officers and staff have illicitly accessed police databases for their own ends including checking the criminal records of partners. Freedom of Information requests show 237 officers and staff have been disciplined for accessing the highly-sensitive police national computer or other IT systems in the past two years.’
Daily Telegraph, 7th November 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Revealed: hundreds of children pushed into adult courts by delays – The Guardian
‘Those who turn 18 before first court appearance face tougher treatment regardless of age when they committed offence.’
The Guardian, 5th November 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
Police failing to record thousands of crimes including harassment, stalking, and coercive behaviour, watchdog finds – Daily Telegraph
‘Police forces are failing to record thousands of crimes, including harassment, stalking, and coercive behaviour, a watchdog has found. New figures show a gap between the number of incidents that are reported and the number of incidents that are then logged appropriately.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th October 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Alan Turing law: Gay, unjustly convicted – and now denied a pardon – BBC News
‘Two years ago the “Turing law” was passed to right a historic injustice by pardoning gay men convicted in the past because of their sexuality. But fewer than 200 living people have had their convictions wiped out so far. What’s going wrong?’
BBC News, 30th September 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police watchdog warns 35,000 police staff ‘not vetted properly’ – BBC News
‘An estimated 35,000 people working for police forces across England and Wales have not been properly vetted, a police watchdog report has found.’
BBC News, 27th September 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Child sex abuse inquiry: Victims with criminal records denied compensation – BBC News
‘Survivors of sexual abuse in care homes are denied compensation or have payouts cut because of their own criminal convictions, an inquiry has found.’
BBC News, 19th September 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
