UK Supreme Court: forcing disclosure of minor or spent convictions not “necessary or proportionate” – OUT-LAW.com

‘Requiring applicants for those jobs which require enhanced criminal record checks to disclose all spent convictions no matter how historic or minor is an unnecessary and disproportionate interference with their human rights, the UK’s Supreme Court has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th June 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Regina (T) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police and others (Liberty and others intervening); Regina (B) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another (Same intervening) – WLR Daily

Regina (T) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police and others (Liberty and others intervening); Regina (B) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another (Same intervening) [2014] UKSC 35; [2014] WLR (D) 271

‘The provisions in Part V of the Police Act for the automatic release of a person’s convictions, cautions and warnings— regardless of their relevance or the length of time that had elapsed— when that person was required, by reason of articles 3 or 4 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, to obtain and disclose an enhanced criminal record certificate for the purpose of obtaining employment or some other position which involved working with children or other vulnerable groups of persons, did not meet the requirement of legality for the purposes of article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and so was incompatible with the person’s right to respect for their private life guaranteed by that article. Moreover, the provisions contravened article 8 in that they were not “necessary in a democratic society”, as required by article 8.2.’

WLR Daily, 18th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Fall in number of offenders barred from working with children – The Guardian

Posted June 24th, 2014 in cautions, criminal records, freedom of information, news, statistics, vetting by sally

‘The number of people who have committed child sex offences and have been barred from working with children has fallen by nearly 10,000 over the past three years, according to freedom of information disclosures.’

Full story

The Guardian, 24th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal records scheme incompatible with Convention rights – Supreme Court judgment – Panopticon

‘As readers of this blog will know, the application of the Government’s criminal records scheme has been subject to extensive litigation of late (see further not least my post on an appeal involving a teacher and my post on an appeal involving a taxi-driver). Perhaps most importantly, in the case of T & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department, questions have been raised about whether the scheme as a whole is compatible with Convention rights and, in particular, the Article 8 right to privacy. Last year, the Court of Appeal concluded that the scheme was incompatible. In a judgment given yesterday, the majority of the Supreme Court has agreed with that conclusion (Lord Wilson dissenting).’

Full story

Panopticon, 19th June 2014

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Old and minor convictions and cautions need not be disclosed – Supreme Court – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously declared that government rules regarding the disclosure of spent convictions are unlawful and incompatible with Article 8 of the Convention.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 18th June 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

R (on the application of T and another) (Respondents) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another (Appellants) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of T and another) (Respondents) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another (Appellants) [2014] UKSC 35 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 18th June 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Criminal records: Supreme Court to rule whether job applicants have to come clean over convictions – The Independent

‘The Supreme Court is today due to rule whether job applicants should be forced to disclose all convictions to certain potential employers.’

Full story

The Independent, 18th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lack of legal aid derails contact proceedings – The Guardian

‘The President of the Family Division has adjourned contact proceedings by an unrepresented father pending the Ministry of Justice or any other responsible body to come up with the solution to the problem of one parent suffering an injustice due to the withdrawal of legal aid.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 10th June 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Top family judge adjourns father’s contact case amid legal aid impasse – The Guardian

‘The most senior family judge in England and Wales has asked the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, to explain how a case involving a father’s contact with his son can proceed without legal aid.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Art teacher who headbutted pupil was able to keep working despite getting criminal record for attack – The Independent

‘A teacher who violently assaulted a child in the classroom was able to continue working despite being given a criminal record for the attack, The Independent can reveal.’

Full story

The Independent, 8th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Data Protection and Child Protection – Panopticon

‘One of the difficulties users and practitioners have with the Data Protection Act 1998 is that there is so little case law on any of the provisions, it can be very hard to know how a court will react to the complicated structure and often unusual factual scenarios which can throw up potential claims. There are two reasons why there is so little case law. First, most damages claims under the DPA go to the County Court, where unless you were in the case it is hard to know that it happened or get hold of a judgment. Secondly, most damages claims are for small sums, which is it is more cost-effective to settle than fight.’

Full story

Panopticon, 6th June 2014

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Job-hunting with a criminal past – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2014 in criminal records, employment, news, recidivists, statistics by sally

‘A change in the law means thousands of ex-offenders looking for work will have their records wiped far sooner. But what is job-hunting like for those with a criminal past?’

Full story

BBC News, 28th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reforms to help reduce reoffending come into force – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 11th, 2014 in criminal records, disclosure, employment, press releases, rehabilitation by tracey

‘Reforms which will cut the amount of time some offenders need to disclose details of any low level convictions come into effect today, Justice Minister Simon Hughes.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 10th March 2014

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

Reoffending reforms – no refinement of relevance – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 11th, 2014 in criminal records, disclosure, disqualification, employment, news, rehabilitation by tracey

‘The Government has today announced their long-awaited reforms to disclosure of previous convictions for rehabilitated offenders.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 10th March 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Clare’s law letting women know if partner has abusive past rolled out – The Guardian

Posted March 10th, 2014 in criminal records, disclosure, domestic violence, news by sally

‘Women will be able to find out if their partners have an abusive past as the domestic violence disclosure scheme – known as Clare’s law – is rolled out across every police force across England and Wales.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Non-payment of TV licence fee may be taken out of criminal law – The Guardian

Posted March 8th, 2014 in criminal records, licensing, media, news, prosecutions by sally

‘Plans to decriminalise the non-payment of the TV licence fee are being considered by government departments in a move designed to ease pressure on the courts, but which could have major repercussions for the BBC.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (A) v Chief Constable of C Constabulary – WLR Daily

Posted February 14th, 2014 in criminal records, judicial review, law reports, police, vetting by sally

Regina (A) v Chief Constable of C Constabulary [2014] EWHC 216 (Admin); [2014] WLR (D) 63

‘The proper application of the non police personnel vetting process set out in the national vetting policy devised by the Association of Chief Police Officers required the adoption of a two-stage test, namely: (i) whether there were reasonable grounds for suspecting that X was or had been involved in criminal activity; and (ii) if so, whether it was appropriate in all the circumstances for security clearance to be refused.’

WLR Daily, 12th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Reforms to help reduce reoffending come into force – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 14th, 2014 in criminal records, news, rehabilitation, time limits by sally

‘Reforms which will cut the amount of time some offenders need to disclose details of any low level convictions will come into effect next month, Justice Minister Simon Hughes said today.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 13th February 2014

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

CS gas canister barrister to be disbarred – Bar Standards Board

‘A barrister who failed to disclose previous criminal convictions for possessing CS gas and wilfully obstructing the police is to be disbarred, following an independent public disciplinary tribunal.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 10th February 2014

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Clare’s Law – what is it and is it what’s needed? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘From March 2014, a scheme allowing police to disclose to individuals details of their partners’ abusive pasts will be extended to police forces across England and Wales, following a successful 14-month pilot in four police force areas. It is intended that this Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, or “Clare’s Law”, will provide, “people with the information they need to escape an abusive situation before it ends in tragedy”, according to Home Secretary Theresa May.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 3rd December 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk