Remove cautions from CRB

Tuesday 30 December 2014 20.58 GMT

Cautions are blighting people's job prospects and ruining lives. I received a caution after my abusive ex-husband reported me to the police for common assault.  He had threatened my life and the lives of my children and had assaulted me on several occasions (including when pregnant).  Whilst feeling under threat and duress I I used reasonable force to remove him from my house.  I ended up with a caution (very much sold to me by the police) after spending hours without food in the police station.  I was too scared of the consequences of going to court , but now very much regret having my day in court.  The police did not charge my ex-husband despite him admitting to kicking me whilst pregnant in his statement!

I have a PhD and hoped to train as a teacher (my ex knew this and knew the consequences of his malicious complaint).  I do not want to have to discuss my appalling marriage every time I apply for a job, so I only apply for those that do not require a CRB. These tend to be low paid jobs.

My ex-husband also got cautioned, but due to his career will never need a CRB check…

I should never have been cautioned in the first place. Now my earning potential has plumetted and my ability to forge a career is pretty much ruined. 

Cautions were supposed to be a 'telling off', not a black mark that sticks for life,

Remove cautions fom CRB checks and allow people such as myself to have the career opportunities that we deserve.

Why does this matter?

People’s lives arew being ruined.  I am highly qualified, but don’t apply for any jobs that require a CRB – I don’t want to re-live my abusive marriage.  I should have been economically active (I wanted to be a Head Teacher), now my earning potential is very low.  Children have missed out on an excellent teacher (I teach over 18s, so I know I can teach) and my life has been blighted.

CRB wouldn’t have prevented Soham, Huntley didn’t even work at the girls’ school, but people such as myself are carrying the can.

I am a parent, safeguarding children is incredibly important to me – sex offenders etc shouldn’t just be cautioned in the first place!  Many good, decent people end up with ‘records’, they should not be barred from working with children or forced to ‘confess’ to embarrasing past mistakes.

The list of jobs requiring CRB checks have exploded in number – working with archives/records (not people at all!) require a CRB.  It is a system gone mad.

I think about my caution every day and the injustice of the CRB system and I know I am not alone.  CRB has made RoA a joke and is causing depression and untold economic hardship to many decent people.  Keep CRB for real offenders, not people who have had difficult circumstances/very minor/one-off offenders.


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220 Responses to Remove cautions from CRB

  1. Dave says:

    Excellent idea. Similar situation, but led to believe at the time that a caution was just a slap on the hand – IT IS NOT!

    The fact is the police will use a caution to lighten their load and ensure an admission of guilt, but the after effects of a caution are every bit as damaging as a criminal record.

    I am constantly amazed at the number of people coming out of the woodwork with cautions, effectively ending their careers. These do little to deal with every day crime.

    • Wendy says:

      Agreed!

      • terri says:

        I can sympathize with people that get a caution and end up having their careers and lives ruined, but what gets me vexed is when like myself I have no criminal record or cautions , but have additional information on my crb that has totally ruined my life and career, this was because I was trying to stop a woman attacking my daughter , who incidentally broke my daughters wrist and got off Scot free and I got discriminated on my crib. The other time was when my ex husband got my daughter to tell lies about me and told social services by the time the truth was told I had already been arrested but was later released with no caution, but the incident was put on my crb even though they had no evidence the police still put both incidents on my additional information in graphic detail, painting me a thug, I have challenged them to remove it but they have refused, now i can’t have a career in nursing how unfair is that?

    • Lauren brown says:

      Totally agree!! Why should something you’ve done when you were young and immature ruin your future career!

    • Lauren says:

      Totally agree!! Why should something you have done when you were young and immature ruin your chance of a career in the future!

  2. AL says:

    I once had to defend myself from a psycho girl who decided to attack me. After I pushed her off me, she went into the kitchen, called the Police, and started hitting herself in order to make it look like I’d attacked her.

    Although the Police found out that I’d barely touched her and she’d damaged herself, I was arrested, convicted of a caution for assault, and kicked out of the student house I was living in.

    Luckily, I don’t want to be a teacher or anything. The scary thing is that she does, and is on a course preparing to be a teacher, and she got off completely free. I’m arranging to meet my MP about this and I suggest you all do the same to put the word out there. These cautions ruin lives, all so that the police can make themselves look more competent.

    • andy says:

      i totally aggre, my girlfreind has been punching me for 3 yrs, & i have always been the one who has been arrested……never prosecuted though ….. yet….. she has a way of always blaming me whatever happens….& because she has been through a breakdown i could never say anything or take things further…. i ust kept saying i did not want to press charges…. because i knew a night in the cell would send her totally mad,,,,i have had cxhaeges against me all the time… not by her but by police…..

      • me says:

        Hi, my story is 99% same as yours.

      • K Says says:

        My case is almost similar to you. Still I want to carry out with my partner. It seems getting difficult. Cuations should be seen as caution, not crime. People does not get caution for crime, they get sentenced. Govt. is changing so many rules, why not this one. I think, in this country – nothing happens without a lobby group. Lets all join with Amnesty International and create a pressure group to amend this. Or, suggest if you have any other idea.

  3. miss a says:

    absolutely – I had the same experience – the caution I stupidly accepted prior to taking my pgce, has ruined my career. I was very happy in the school I was working in and although the headmaster knew the caution existed he gave me the opportunity to look into having it removed and also prove myself – which I was doing,very well; I had set up numerous extra curricular activities, involved my school in the Cultural Olympiad, The Creative Partnerships, raised attainment at GCSE, however, by the third term of what should have been my final few observations of my NQT year, the CRB was released to the LEA who were not particularly understanding and I was dismissed for gross misconduct for failing to disclose the caution on application. I should mention that the caution was for possession of a class a – despite the police finding no drugs on my person or in my system. I was in the vicinity of a small amount of the drug being found and on arrest was pressured into accepting the caution, which I did, as, I had never been arrested and as you have all mentioned above, believed it was a slap on the wrist. I just wanted to go home. I have never felt as low as I have in the last few months – the fact that this will hinder me forever has just been confirmed by a potential employer responding to my query of whether she had read my attached disclosure. She had initially responded to my application immediately and enthusiastically requesting a meeting to discuss the role further. She then responded having read the disclosure stating that it would prove “difficult”. She wished me all the best with my first baby which is due in January. I am highly educated and qualified and am now facing the prospect of raising my child in income support,OR undertaking low paid menial roles, quite hard to swollow currently, especially as my circle of friends all hold successful teaching careers. I cannot accept all I have worked for is lost because of one stupid mistake of not knowing my rights. Devastating.

    • sara says:

      I accepted a caution five years ago, again, I was told by the policeman that it was an official slap on the wrist that would be on record for five years. He told me that it would only have to be disclosed if I wanted to work with children. I am looking for work again for the first time in nearly thirty years, and I am amazed how many jobs require crb checks. I cannot apply for worthwhile jobs because of my caution. I, too, will have to take any job, possibly, having to claim working tax credits to support my family as it appears this is the only employment I will get. The policeman also did not tell me that a caution forms part of a criminal record that would have to be disclosed, even for insurance purposes as well as any job requiring crb checks. I also couldn’t wait to get out of the police station and happily accepted a caution. I was not told if would be on my record for life.

      • Duncan says:

        I have had the exact same experience as yourself regarding the way the police officer dealt with my case. I feel that under the circumstances I was mis informed of the seriousness and the broader implications on my life when accepting a caution. In short I was fobbed off by the policeman and In hindsight what hurts even more is I feel I had good grounds to contest the police caution.
        I worked as a Care Worker for 10 years and would like to return to the profession. But am now faced with this. Being of good sound character I am mortified at the thought of going through the details of my caution at an interview.
        As far as I can see CRB listing these cautions only serves to damage the lives of good honest people who for one reason or another have found themselves on the wrong end of the law.

        I would like to sign a petition too and make people more aware of this problem.

    • mary says:

      I have worked for acompany as a cleaner contracted to mental health for 6yrs.2yrs ago I lost someone very close to me an was in a really bad place I took an overdose and was drinking heavily all day everyday I had an arguement and ended up slappin someone for which I received a caution for abh (minor assault)since then I have changed my life around went bk to work passed my driving test and trying to rebuild my life then my employers done a crb check on me and this caution showed up they escorted me of the premises and suspended me with pay pending inquires I have since got my panic attacks and depression bkhave had my investigating hearing and I’m waiting for there decision I hope I don’t loose my job down to this dark period ov my life

  4. warren says:

    Cautions should be removed! Esp people who are innocent that accept a caution!

  5. Paul Cartlidge says:

    It is totally ridiculous that innocent people are are having meaningless cautions affecting there lifes and careers having been sold a caution by the police to reduce paperwork.This situation needs rectifing and cautions should become spent after 3-5 years.

    • Ms Janet Shaw says:

      I am willing to support people that get cautioned. Some of us sign to cautions because we don’t want to stay at the police station. We sign anything and leave without realising that it is a caution that will remain with us for life. I did not know that I have been to court and It is people that uses tricks and stress us and they also over stress you by using psychology. I think some caution should be remove after three to five years. Some people are sick and there are times when you don’t realise that you are talking on the phone in a public area. And as anything drops and sound people react ! and said they are scared of you and at that time my back was turned to them and I was not looking at them I did not see them. They called the Police, The person that I was talking to I could not see the person and it was about my sick note. They refused the sick note the pain was unbearable I know when I need medical help. Sometimes we sign anything without reading properly and leave and we did not do it. I sign just to end the problem. After that I realise that I have real problem. Sometime people blame people for things and they accept it, I am calling on God he gives strength. The staff told me about the phone and she could have told me to ring from home as a free phone I did not know it was free phone. The staff make work for them self when the phone rings she jumps up and pick up the phone they make work for themselves people can be tricky and they are in the same building. People only think about themselves. Some you think you are signing to leave the police station only to realise that it is a restricted caution.

  6. Nicky says:

    Is there a petition or something to sign for this? My boyfriend is in a very similar situation.

    • Noma says:

      CRB is just causing problems for people, it is good when its for Murder, Rape, etc strong Cases not Shoplifting or petty fights. its Bad half of the people on benefits are not working due to CRB lssues and the Govermnt is failing to change the Law.

      Lets Sign a Petition and do something about this Madness its destroying peoples Lives

      • sharon biba anderson says:

        I have just read your article and although it was posted over a year ago, i am interested in knowing if a Petition was signed and any progress that has been made.?

  7. Nicky says:

    I think you should be able to appeal against a caution anyway. I think sometimes they should stay on record, like when you’ve been proven guilty of something and are given a caution as a first offense. But when you are defending yourself and your home – surely that’s a different circumstance and you shoudn’t be marked for life because of it.

  8. DKT says:

    I’ve been helping a friend who accepted a caution because he was begged to do so by the so-called legal representative, when what he had admitted to did not constitute an offence. A caution is a full and frank admission of guilt regarding a recognised offence, and there should be enough evidence such that the balance of probabilities would be that a jury would convict you in court. (Threshold test). If you don’t admit the offence during interview, or haven’t committed one, or there isn’t any evidence, then you can’t be cautioned. It’s meant to be as sound as a court conviction but without the time and expense. In my friend’s case we got the police interview tapes and worked out who said what and how it all went wrong. Now we’ve written to the police professional standards department in our county and they have initiated an investigation. You can’t appeal a caution because you’ve already admitted your guilt. But you can certainly try to get it overturned if it was completely unsound. There are some good leaflets on the web about “simple cautions”.
    We’ll see what happens…..

    • Tomo1055 says:

      Totally agree with people who say certain things such as cautions for unimportant things shouldn’t be put on the CRB. These days its not as if you get let of the hook if you refuse to accept a caution because I’ve heard of cases where the fact that a persons appeared in court and found to be innocent has also appeared on their crb, It’s ridiculous. As for the “the balance of probabilities” this is incorrect and has no meaning in criminal law and therefore isn’t used by the jury, it’s the method of judgement for civil cases. For criminal law it has to be proved “beyond all reasonable doubt”

  9. Katie says:

    I totally agree i was told i would never have to disclose i have had a caution if uli stayed out of trouble which i have but it is on my crb check. Why then would the police say i would never need to mention it

  10. Dave says:

    Couldn’t agree more. If these ‘offences’ are so terrible why aren’t they tried in a court of law? If they are minor then why can they be used to ruin people’s lives? The CRB was set up to protect children from paedophiles, not people who have made one-off minor mistakes.

    • jean says:

      Seven years ago, when my daughter was 15, she received a verbal warning . She had been involved in a silly argument with a girl the same age and ended up slapping her face. Witnesses confirmed that It was only a light slap and did not mark the other girl at all. Unfortunately, she was on her way to school to sit a GCSE . She ran off home and missed her exam. Her parents called the police possibly to get some official proof of the incident so their daughter could sit her exam another time. Although my daughter was wrong to hit this girl the incident was a trivial spat between two schoolgirls.

      My husband had only recently been discharged from hospital after a very serious operation and so when the police came to the house we were pleased, at the time, for things to be dealt with quickly. Like so many others we were advised that all record of the warning would be removed after several years.

      My daughter is now a mature woman and wishes to study to become a midwife. Though she has had no further brushes with the law we now find that the verbal warning could still be lying in her records, contrary to the information we were given at the time. When an ecrb check is eventually carried out this could easily show up.

      It seems very wrong that what what was effectively a ‘playground fight ‘ could follow her around for the rest of her life. She is not a violent person and I think that many of our ‘law makers’ might have been involved in similar scuffles as children. The only difference between them and my daughter is that no one called the police.

      There has to be more common sense deployed here. Of course the vulnerable in our society must always be protected but an isolated, petty, incident carried out as a child must not be allowed to haunt the adult person to their grave in a civilized society. The consequences of disclosing this incident to universities and prospective employers in the future are out of all proportion to the original offence.

      There is the issue of trust. If she takes her chances, says nothing, and hopes it will not be disclosed and it is ,then she is seen as being untrustworthy but on the other hand if nothing is disclosed by the check and she volunteers the information then she might wish she had said nothing and be judged anyway. This is self incrimination. She is dammed if she does and dammed if she doesn’t.

      And, whilst on the subject of trust, what is to be made of the police advising people to take cautions etc with the assurance that it will stay on record for only a few years. I can appreciate that it used to be the case but for the last few years it has not been so.

      People made decisions about their future, in good faith, based on this information. They have been deceived by the police. Those people given this advice prior to the change in law should have the assurance honored. They have had no option but to stand by their side of the deal but the police have renegued on their’s. It is indefensable.

      The government, Lyn Featherstone, Sunita Mason et al are currently reviewing many issues surrounding CRB checks etc and, in some cases , congratulating themselves at how wise and effective their recommendations etc are . Now is the time to look again at the issue of record retention – at the very least trivial incidents by children should be deleted after the promised five years. Maybe those charged with this responsibility might ponder the saying, ‘There but for the grace of God go I’ !!!

  11. Marine Lopez says:

    I have just received my CRB and horrified to see that my cautions appeared on it!!I’m studying to be an assistant teacher and now I’m scare not to get a job, however my friend is working in a school as a teacher and even though she had problem in the past she is working.I’m from France and in my country you receive the criminal record in 2 days it’s free and cautions are not on it!!I’m thinking to come back there now!!caution are so unfair!!

  12. Patrick says:

    My life as a psychologist is been ruined for stealing two sandwiches from M and S in a moment of madness… I got a two year conditional discharge

  13. janet says:

    I this very day have recieved my an enhanced disclosure. 10 years ago, I had a scuffle with a girl that had been seeing my husband behind my back. we were arguing she followed me outside and started pushing me. I put my arms out to stop her hitting me, she then grabbed both sleeves of my jacket and pulled. She fell backwards and I fell on top of her,I could not put my arms out to save myself and landed on top of her. on impact her tooth went through my bottom lip splitting it open, I believe she had a minor injury to her mouth. Mouth bleeding and in pain I just walked off, the next I heard was that she had called the police, and later dropped charges. 5 weeks down the line I was arrested and kept in a cell for hours. I explained the situation over and over again too no avail. And yes in the end I accepted the caution because I realised I would not get out until I did. Now sitting here ten years up the line I feel devastated, the caution is still on record,worded Assault occasioning Actual bodily Harm, Yet I am innocent.

  14. Craig Parrott says:

    Excellent Idea.

    I was working as a music teacher and was falsly acussed by a girl (that probably had a crush on me) I was teaching after she found out I had a fiancee. I was then phoned by ht epolice to tell me that a complaint had been put and an investigation was being opened. Months later I was interviewed under caution and no more was said on the matter the CPS didnt want to take it any further. However when I applied for a new job and a volounteering job the police not only mentioned a that a complaint was lodged and I was interviewed, every detail from the initial phone call that was made to me, there overall impressions. Also when my school phoned the local CRB person the police then gave there overall opinion of what they though of me, wether they though I was guilty or not (despite this person had NEVER met me) and any information ‘THEY’ consider relevant. Now I have to scarp by doing less that minimum wage jobs because of this system.

  15. Human says:

    Individuals who were cautioned by the police are left with a long life sentence without employment prospects when many of these individuals do not deserve such harsh sentences for a very minute mistake which some of this mistakes were probably made by politicians at one point in their lives. The difference is they have never got caught. Why should individuals who committed such minor offences should be given life sentence in an open society? I would rather be given prison sentences because at least in prison I have work to do and purpose to live. This society reminds me the medieval times where offenders were harshly punished for petty offences. What is the difference in our society today? To retain cautions indefinitely for petty offences is to mentally torture those who wish to move on with their lives and make a difference in society but instead many will be registered under the Mental Health Act for mental related illnesses.

  16. Kaela says:

    My career plan was to be a teaching assistant whilst I finish my degree and then train to be a teacher.
    I was offered a volunteer place at my local primary school and had to fill in a CRB which I did. I explained to the head teacher about a caution I got only a few months ago in which I (and some other people) tried to stop a fight between two people and the person who had caused the fight (being someone who is always in trouble with police) accused everyone of attacking him. Subsequently I was arrested and was told by the police that I either except a caution or go to court to prove that I was only trying to pull the two people apart. I accepted the caution just to get out of there because it was a horrible experience and going to court, so I thought, be worse. I explained this to the head teacher and she understood however my CRB came back and I had another caution on from 2005 for using offencing language. I can honestly not remember being given this caution but I remember the incident as I have only spoken to the police twice in my life. I had been attacked in a bar and someone smashed a glass in my face. I have no idea who the person was and when the police got there I was hysterical and very upset, and Im guessing I may have swore at them. Subsequently this has now led to me being told today that I cant volunteer. Where do I go from here? My whole career plan and goals now seem impossible. I am not a bad person, and I am definately not a danger to children, or anyone for that matter. I am now feeling very lost.

  17. Dagi says:

    12 years I got involved with a man and fell in love with him, consequently i took on his three children and brought them up as their own, as their mother left them when they were only little and they were left in the custody of their father. However, tony started to abuse me after around 2 months, he was really abusive in every way possible, six years later when i woke up around 5 am and found him downstairs drunk as he is alcoholic, i asked him why is he drinking so much and he answered that I am a c… like my mother upon which i spat at him, he than beat me up so bad that i was covered in bruises, i ran upstairs to get my phone to call the police, however he did it before i could so the police came and arrested me, they held me at the police station from 7 am till 6pm that day and cautioned me, nobody was interested with the fact that i was bruised etc. I looked after his kids for 6 years their own mother never wanted to know them and neither the father i felt sorry for them however they are so messed up because of their upbringing and the trouble they witnessed between their father and the mother. Furthermore, his daughter always hated me no matter what i did. Neverhtheless, over two years ago i had little incident with her at the party, all she ever did is to call me fucking bitch upon which i told her to learn something new and threw drink on her and than walked away, she than ran after me and grabbed my hair and pulled me all over the place, suddenly there were so many people on me mostly her family and also her father the man I met 12 years ago, beating me, punching me, it was dreadful. someone than pulled me out of the crowd and took me in the little kitchen area and when the coast was clear i took my daughter and went home, six weeks later i got arrested by three police officers, and was cautioned for battery. I told them the truth that it was not me who started it however as all of your own experiences say, admit guilt and avoid going to court, now i wish i would have never admit guilt and went to the court. My dream was to become lawyer however they are all shuttered and each time i apply for job it has to be the lowest job. I see all those six years of the neglect the kids had from everysingle member of their family, their own parents, I gave them my own time and youth, supported them financially, clothed them and than to deserve this and be called names. I dont think its right. We always had difficulties with his daughter and i never called police on her just because she is my boyfriends daughter. I am still with tony and have two children with him, and his other daughter who is sooooo sad now that she did what she did, now she realised that i was the only one who really cared for them. too late im not interested she destroyed my life and my children’s life, i could have achieved much more and give my children better life, however now i will probably have to go on benefits, was this really the governments intention to make this state, a state of liars? the police said whoever calls the police first wins, i did not because of tony begging me not to because it involved his daughter from previous marriage, his son, his brother and most of all himself because all of them were on me hitting me. Come on England get a grip its pathetic, people are sick, and will do anything to destroy somebody else.

  18. Jadie B says:

    I agree that these cautions should be removed. My boyfrind is a care workier and we were hoping to move away and have a fresh start in my home town where my family live. I have bipolar and living in my current home, the city i live in is a huge environmental factor that causes me to have severe episodes that have amounted to hospitalisation on many occasions and arrests, i have lived here for quite a few years and there are so many bad memories and the people who live around here are 80% scum bags. my boyfriend has a caution and the jobs he is applying for in care work are turning him down. This means im having to live in hell, heavily medicated on a day to day basis, all i want is to go back to my family, feel secure, safe and try and help myself to manage my bipolar, but as long as he has this stupid caution, we both have to suffer. our relationship is suffering badly, please make it so he can wipe it and we can start again

  19. john says:

    My ex girlfriend lied to me that her mum was dying I kept texting her asking why she lied. She rang the police and the police bullied me into accepting a caution they lied that it would only stay on my record for 5 years otherwise i wouldn’t have accepted it!

  20. J says:

    Totally agree. Seems at odds with the purpose of a caution, that is to prevent re-offending, however, by ruining a persons future job prospects you are doing quit ethe opposite.

  21. a says:

    Agreed – it needs removing after the period that they say in the police interview (5 years is what they told me). People are being pressured into taking cautions due to police making them feel that this is the best way out for all involved.

    I was told that it’d be better not to have a lawyer, as that would take longer. If i just accepted a caution that’d be that and I’d be out. Little did i know that this would not be the case and I’d have the caution attached for life!

  22. Bad idea – only serious crime should show up says:

    I was convicted for Section 4 Public Order Act and now have lost my job, stressed and worried life ruined for standing up to a bully.

    There were heavy traffic and motorcyclist squeezed in and broke my car mirror in June 2009 (the day TFL was on strike). Following the incident I wanted the driver’s details which he refused to give and became very aggressive and started pushing me then he took my keys out of my car and threw the keys on the other side of the road and an argument ensued. My sister and my neighbour started to cry and said please can we leave now as I will miss my final exam I then attempted to leave but the motorcyclist tried to vigorously and aggressively to prevent me however I managed leave. I then drove the girls to their college just in time for their exam and returned home.

    I cam home and was seating down in my room and my mum started calling me as the police budged passed my mum and came in my room and started to question me regarding the incident and informed me that I threatened the driver with a gun although I offered a full explanation they arrested me and processed me then at the station after 7 to 10 hours in the cell I was informed that I have been charged with Public Order Offence Section 4. I was released on bail and was ordered to go to court. I then made a counter claim once released against the motorcyclist but the police refused to investigate.

    The day I attended court I could not find a solicitor to represent me

    I have been suffering from ongoing severe depression since 2008 due to this reason I felt pressured into entering a plea which I had no means to defend. I was on anti depression tablets for a prolonged time. I did not have the energy or the knowledge of how the legal system worked and I first I pleaded not guilty but felt pressured to plea guilty to the charge against me as I could not defend myself.

    I have been suffering from depression and it became more intense following my fathers death I had no one to turn to for help.

    I felt trapped and not able to understands the consequence this event will have in my life decided that I cant go on and felt pressured so I decided to go back and ask the magistrates to change my plea to guilty.

    This conviction is now having an immense affect to my life as I recently changed my job and my employer found from the CRB check the offence I was dismissed from my employment.

    I have worked for the NHS for last 6 years +. I feel a grave injustice was done to me following this event and this will now follow me and haunt for the rest of my life.

    This system is so unfair, it is ripping my heart out, work so hard in life to be where I am today and due to having a argument with ******** I will be punished for the rest of my life. Never been on the dole before but now have no choice. The feeling of anger and hurt killing me inside. This CRB crap follow you until the day you die.

  23. lauren taylor says:

    For several years i got bullied by one particular girl,i stopped wearing my glasses, i missed school,my health wasn’t good ie:skin fare ups,wheeeping nipples.Several weeks before christmas the girl and then friend came shouting and running up behind me, having not had my glasses on i didn’t know who it was,when i turn to she the bully went to hit me so i pushed her away.Which resulted in her parents calling the police.I was then taken to the police station around 11pm on NEW YEARS EVE.The case went to court the bully and her mother having made a video with the police didn’t have to appear in court.My parents paid to see a judge who saw it as self defence, so we were able to get the bully in court via video link.I attended with two witnesses plus witness statements.The bully and her no longer friend appeared by video link to be cross examined.My family and i was the told by the police officers on the case, that the CROWN PROSICUTION had taken it to court as a result of my step-father being a police officer.At which point my heart broken step-father resigned from his position of 20 years. I was found NOT GUILTY of the offence, the bully lied in court which did’t match the video she made.
    The bully and her parents wern’t happy with the result so went to a different police force but failed to get anything done. Two weeks later the bully continued with her father and youger brother. MY mother tried getting help for me from THE POLICE,SCHOOL ANTI-BULLING OFFICER,LOCAL COUNCILLOR,GENT FROM COUCIL,MEDIATION.But all failed me to the point i couldn’t take anymore, i told my mother that if they don’t sort it out for me then i’d have to myself.She made frantic phone calls but as normal no help.I saw the bully face to face near my home and hit her.which actually stopped her and her family bullying me.But resulted in me getting a CRB caution for battery.This bully didn’t only disrtoy my life then but for the rest of my life. I would love to become a teacher but my hopes are now shattered.

  24. Sab says:

    i am shocked to read the stories on here and the similarities with my case. me and my husband had an argument at home when my son was 16 months and my daughter was three months. they were asleep upstairs. the culmination of stress and sleepless nights came together and i rang the police cuz hubby would not leave the house. in the end he did and when the police came there were a couple of strewn items on the floor. after taking my statement they left. we got a call a week later asking us to go to the police station and if we didn’t they would come and arrest us so we took our kids and went. we went in one at a time while the other one stayed in the car with the kids. we were arrested, fingerprinted, swabbed (mouth) and told it would take ages to get a lawyer. obviously our kids were in the car so we accepted the caution not realising the gravity of it and somewhat under duress. now we are lumbered with it. its been five years this july and i have received my CRB today with the caution still on it. feel so angry, hurt and conned. we were tricked by the police of all people. have taken legal advice since and been told if we had got a lawyer theres no way we would have got these cautions for affray but hindsight is a wonderful thing. we are still together with a third kid and both of us have never been in trouble before or since. its unfair.

  25. Greg says:

    I had a scuffle with my wife while drunk last year and I have been cautioned,it was one isolated incident. I am not a criminal but made one stupid mistake while drunk.
    I am staying sober now,I can’t control myself when drunk in many social situation.
    I don’t want to blame alcohol but it’s hard not to…
    The caution had crippled my prospect to get better job,as a result my whole family was penalised,as they say only people who never have any thing to do with the law get cautioned by admitting the guilt.

  26. lisa says:

    i want CRB cautions erased…or at least classed as spent after 5 years. 3 years ago i slapped my sisters ex boyfriend across the face causing ‘in his police statement…a red cheek’ and for this i have a caution for battery. he told officers it left no other mark or injury other than a red mark yet i am now unable to work with vulnerable people. im doing a psychology degree so god knows what the future holds for me. oh yeh…i gave birth 2 weeks after the incident! i am a mother of 2, trying to better my childrens lives and cant because of this. i did it and yes i pleaded guilty yet im not a bad person. didnt john prescot punch someone?……..still had a damn good wage comin in after that…no justice in this country

  27. Anna says:

    I was arrested on a drugs charge as I was in a friends house and the police raided it. I had no idea there were any drugs there and after spending the night in police station was bailed but charges were eventually dropped.
    However I was stopped by police as they thought I was smoking weed- it was a roll up. There was no evidence but as she checked my details she said I had previous arrests for drugs which seemed to justify another arrest.

    I am currently doing my masters degree but don’t thinks there’s much point anymore as I have applied for previous jobs and have been turned down for all of them. I also have a caution but I think it’s the class a arrests which are hindering my chances, it’s shocking how many innocent people are left unable to get jobs yet the ones who like to cause trouble don’t really care about their crb as they have no career prospects.

  28. John says:

    It’s absolutely ridiculous that it stays on record for life. I was informed by the police it would be removed after 5 years! lies!

    http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/13324

    Sign it an get everyone you know to sign it too!

  29. Doo says:

    I would suggest that anyone with a caution that should disappear (over time) contact Liberty and explain the situation. If you did the same thing in any other country your record is wiped. In this country we discriminate against our own people. So someone from France, Poland, Germany with the same issues would not have a criminal record, but someone form UK will, no wonder UK people are finding it impossible to find jobs.

    The Labour government has excluded (on purposes) its own citizerns from pursuing wortwhile careers in any profession or vocation which is highly paid. This was to ensure UK citizerns are kept as lowly paid employees compared to any other European national that comes to this country.

    • Daz says:

      This pathetically seems/is true. Its like a parent brings up their child teaching them whats right and wrong and then that child make a minor mistake, meaning that he/she can’t go to Disney Land as planned before for the week after. Mistakes are a way of learning and in many unfortunate situations due to the unknown and never having experiences it, we make mistakes! I hate this country sometimes just for these ‘STUPID’ situations!!

  30. Kirsty says:

    I also agree with this, there should be a time limit for cautions staying on record and I personally think it should relate to the date of the offence, not the caution. I received a caution four years after an idiotic act in a time of desperation, that was two years ago and I am still paying the price and seemingly will be forever. A totally unfair system.

    • Daz says:

      Hi Kirsty, Hope your in a better situation now. I think I know where your coming from, because I’ve been there. Take care and don’t give up on life.

  31. lkya says:

    Hi John,

    thanks for link.
    I think everbody has to sign it.

    • jean says:

      There will never be enough signatures on this petition for anything to get done. The problem is that no one is aware of this situation until it affects them. Then it is too late. We on this site and others like it are all preaching to the converted and we are small in number. We need to get on Face Book/Twitter etc , (use a pseudonym if you have to)and get the issue out there for others to be made aware of what is going on – and then direct them to sign the e petition. It has to be in their interests to do this as they never know when it might affect them too!

  32. Peter says:

    I totally agree that cautions no matter how the police package them are a pernicious hangover from this politically correct madness we have to endure, and do blight lives and ambitions I worked as a parent helper, and the head teacher at my childrens school knew about the caution after i was asked if i would like to work as a volunteer on a 1 to 1 basis to help children at the school who had minor learning difficulties ( my own two children were at the school at the time and both had minor learning difficulties) particularly with reading and maths. My enhanced CRB check revealed a caution, but the headteacher backed me and wrote to the County Council and said that in no way would my caution have any negative impact on the children i had helped or planned to help. Her common sense and judgement vindicated me. I applied to do a post graduate teaching degree after all the the encouragement i received. however the caution reared its ugly head again and after making it through the interviews to the last 220 candidates from an original 847 applications for 190 places. I was rejected because it was too lengthy a process for the admissions staff to undertake to clear candidates with “cautions” and not worth the risk. 3 other candidates also failed as a result of this nonsense. I doubt common sense will ever prevail, and if it does regarding cautions being removed from CRB checks that would be very welcome, i my case and for many others sadly its too late

    • Daz says:

      Peter, this sounds very sad indeed that you’ve had to experience such inhuman treatment taking into account with all the experience you have to offer. The law/government needs to know what its doing to INNOCENT and HONEST persons like you and me!! It’s like the government is self-destructing its own people that it’s raised to contribute to society, it doesn’t make SENSE at all!!?? There’s a ‘Black Hole’ that needs patching up by reforms in government!!

  33. Laura says:

    I’ve just finished my founation degree and was hoping to do the top up year for the full BA but I have two offences on my CRB from arguments with my mum where I slapped her in the face. It’s so embarressing having it upheaved every time when I just want to forget about it and move on! I feel like people think your a bad person when it was just a heated argument and it was my mum trying to get me in trouble when she was just as bad, but will never admit it! Now I’m the one with my career ruined. I’m totally devastated, have no idea what to do with myself now because the kind of jobs I want are helping people

  34. steph says:

    I was pushed into taking my caution. The police officer who interviewed me told me that nothing would probable happen, just a verbal warning. The Sargent of the station did not think it was right I was getting the caution under the circumstances.

    Yet CPS would not budge on not issuing it; unless I thought through court. I spoke to a solicitor and he told me to take it or I could wait for him to get to the police station which could be five hours.

    I just wanted to leave. I got told it would only be on for five years which was a lie.

    I was very ill at the time; with mental health problems. None of this was taken into consideration, I should of been seen by a dr before I was interviewed. To ensure I was fit for it, they just went with my say so I was fine.

    I am trying to get it over turned; I am finding it hard to get a decent job; I even got asked it by an insurance company for a car. I refused to tell them due to this I was turned down. I would of been turned down anyway. Though what is it to them.

    I got told it maybe used in court if needed against me if I did something wrong. Not anything else.

    The situation in which I revived the caution was very distressing and the police did nothing to who I accused of assault. They did not care; one office said CPS will look at it as you are using it as a scape goat.

    So now I cant go to uni to get the careers I want and I will probably be on a low income for ever trying to support my daughter, with the government paying me tax credits.

  35. Rob says:

    In the early 90’s was constantly lied to by the police telling me a caution was not a criminal record and would not stay on my record for more than two – five years.
    Although completely innocent I was pressurised into signing it by at least three policemen who told me to sign or they would ‘make my life hell’.
    Worst of all they wouldn’t let me read what I was signing, every time I went to read it they just kept turning the sheet over and forcing me to sign it by physically pushing the pen into my hand, as I was only 20 at the time I made a huge mistake and trusted what they were telling me.
    Now I’m worried exactly what they were hiding from me as they told me it was for drunk and disorderly although we were arrested for a breaking into a shop which we hadn’t been anywhere near all night.
    20 years on I’ve been reading about the horrors of enhanced CRB checks, how do I find out exactly what I was cautioned for?
    Rob

  36. Bungle says:

    I made a silly mistake of accepting a street caution for “theft by finding” when stopped with a old bicycle i had found 15 minutes earlier on wasteland, as with others i was led to believe it would be nothing more than a slap on the wrist and i could go on my merry way.

    For the record i have a long provable history of always handing found items in. These items have been anything from expensive mobile phones to motorbikes dumped in the local woods.

    I claimed the bicycle from lost property eight weeks later.

    The caution remains though and it worrys me that i am being rejected in job applications because of it.

    Those with cautions should at least be notified who are requesting crb checks and given the chance to respond.

  37. Colin says:

    I been Convicted of the following
    Oct 2010 Harassment act warning Without Violence to person A and Person B
    Dec 2010 i was Cautioned but with same offense again
    Jan 11 I was Charged and sent to Court with same offense as above
    Feb 11 I was Remanded in custody for the above offense
    May I was Given a Harassment act warning Without Violence to person C

    I Cant even get a cleaning job or any type one the question do you have medical problems yes chronic hydrocephalus treated by etv in oct 2011
    do you have convictions if yes use space

    i don’t even seem to be getting to the interview stage

    i think this crb stuff is stupid

    i did work at a care home but when i got out of hmp i was sacked i even got kicked out of college aswell but i got accepted in another town 15 miles away in sept 2012 thankfully

  38. Chris says:

    Similar story to steph just above me. Its a complete liberty that the Police lair to your face, too pressure you into accepting the simple caution, simply to raise the Gov statistics & their own arrest records.

    Nazi state, I have never received suitable responses from the Police, as any one who has had their house broken in to will confirm. Lucky if you see them in a week, and when they do turn up the “cant take DNA/prints” as its “too late”. Get there sooner then?

  39. Andrea says:

    I didn’t realise it was affecting so many. I remember how angry I was when I got my first CRB through and found that what was printed on there wasn’t a mistake. I admitted to doing something I didn’t actually do because I was threatened. At the time, the police told me that if I accepted a caution, it would be wiped in 5 years. Seems to be the general theme here. Pretty disgusting that a simple caution can control a life forever.

    Lets get it reviewed!!! There are e-petitions to sign:
    http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/13324

  40. robbie says:

    I was attacked by my Wife with a hammer and wooden stool just because she suspected that i am seeing someone else. She woke me up 3AM in the morning and asked me to sign into my office messanger so she can see whom i’ve been talking to. upon refusal she broke my IPAD and attacked me with the hammer. In self defence I pushed her and ran out of the house for my life. She than self harmed her with actual bodily harm and made a case against me in the local county court.

    I recieved a call from the police and was arrested and was said the same thing. I was told in the morning that either accept the caution or go to court where my wife already has got better stronger case than me and chances are I might end up with a criminal offence. I was exhausted by the whole incident and just wanted to get out of the police station.

    I am not very law minded but I have informed by people that i should have reported the police on the night when she attacked me but i was more worried about leaving bad impression on my 6year old son. I am now worried if I should tell my employer about this. I work in IT and as I work closely with Databases my current employer or future employer might want to carry out enhanced checks on me where this caution of no fault of mine will show up in red. I am really confused how to get this removed off my records. Is anyone aware if a caution can be turned over? I have filed the petition as well.

    • Daz says:

      Hi Robbie, It seems that this ‘caution’ we all have received needs to be re-reviewed in parliament, especially when it comes to honest peoples lively hood and careers. It just isn’t right!! Good luck mate!

  41. H says:

    I did something stupid and just wanted to go and hide, the police officer said that if I did not accept a police caution my child would be taken into police custody and I would be arrested for interview, so I accepted a police caution just to get out of there. It would appear now that it was a massive mistake and now I will have a criminal record which will ruin my chances of pursuing my career. I have never done anything unlawful in my life before and it would appear that one minor indiscretion will now follow me to my grave. Where is there to go from here?!

  42. NJ says:

    The CRB system is ludricrous and grossly unfair. Remove cautions from the CRB checks now. For all the difference it makes you might as well take your chances in court.

    When I was married 12 years ago my step-daughter resented anyone being in a relationship with her mother and said she would find a way to get me out of the house. She tried all sorts of antics and during an argument one day my wife threw a bottle at us. Luckily for her, I pushed my step-daughter out of the way as the bottle would have hit her head. Unfortunately, being a street wise teenager, she knew that by even touching her I could be convicted of assault.

    I was arrested a week later and like so many others, I was told by the Police that I could accept a caution and go home in 30 minutes or spend hours in the cells waiting for a solicitor to arrive. They said my solicitor would then advise me that I would be found guilty of assault anyway, so I might as well accept the caution as it was only a minor telling off and would be completely removed from my record in 5 years.
    I had never had any dealings with the police and was frightened of the whole situation, so agreed to accept the caution.

    Big mistake, you should never trust the police. The caution will always come up on CRB checks and has had a huge impact on the sort of employment I can get. I can get countless personal references vouching for my good nature and I am the last person who would be involved in any form of violence.
    I left my wife shortly after this incident, because I was living in fear of even brushing past my step-daughter on the stairs and being re-arrested.

    The irony is that I get on well with my step-daughter now, but one error of judgment on my part by trusting the police and the rest of my life has been, and will always be, seriously affected by it.

    • Daz says:

      NJ, sounds really sad with the situation you got into and should NO WAY have got a caution. Its funny, because I feel there’re criminals that know the law inside out and they are the LUCKY ones because they seem to get away with REAL CRIMES!! I POLITICALLY UN-CORRECT!!

  43. Vix says:

    Reading all these views have given me such mixed emotions. So happy I’m not the only one but so angry because all we want to do is better ourselves and to move forward. I specifically want to HELP people and teach people. A caution was given to me as the ‘best’ option, the ‘only’ option when I had accidentally hit someone when they tried to intervene on a domestic between myself and my intimidating partner. Wanting to forget it all and go home I agreed. With the idea it would be spent and gone after so many years. This may prevent me from doing the one thing that has given me joy. I suggest we all sign this petition:

    http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/13324

    Im not sure how significant these are but I think every little helps.

  44. Daz says:

    In a way I’m glad I’m not the only person going through this kind of ‘UNFAIR’, ‘UNJUST’ and ‘CAREER DESTROYING’ LAW/SYSTEM! But more importantly I feel really sorry for myself and others in the same boat, because I can understand some of the cases I’ve read.
    I feel I have NO VOICE (until finding this blog) and I have been made a ‘VICTIM’ by this seemingly if not INHUMAN SYSTEM!
    I am now 35 years old and since graduating from Uni, I have worked in education for over 10 years on and off through agency and directly with the schools. I have worked with Adults, Young adults, Secondary, Primary and Nursery ages. So I have vast knowledge and experience in working with people of all sorts. My job role is ‘Learning Support Assistant’ and recently I decided that I wanted to teach as a career at secondary level. But before I could really get going with my application to be a teacher, I was put off because I received a ‘Common Assault’ caution. The caution I received was completely unrelated to what I do at work, because it was something that happened at home between me and my ‘hot-tempered’ wife (3 years ago). Basically she slapped me straight across the face, which was very random and surprising to me, so much so I was in shock and as a form of self defence and at the spare of the moment, I grabbed her by the arms on the bed and punched her on the arm. Then I calmed down quickly after that and tried to stop her crying (she was crying because I hit her NOT her hitting me first!!) out loud and run out into the street making a scene (what made it worse, I went out after her to talk her to come back indoors, but she loudly refused and ran off to my mums home). After about 30 minutes, police came, told them what I just told you got arrested, put into a police cell over-night and given a caution in the morning and was told by a officer that it would show on a crb check but won’t effect working in schools. But it has, because the Education agency I have found work with many times and quicky in the past, have not responded to my application and I’ve been left in a VERY difficult financial situation looking now for more or less ANY work and looking now at a DIFFERENT CAREER path, because I feel I won’t be ACCEPTED in any education institutions anymore. I have NEVER been in this situation before especially with the law!! And I’m still married!! I Don’t think I know my own rights and don’t know whether anything can be done to going back into working in education or just letting it go and finding another career path???? I just all my years of hard work and experience has gone to waste!! Because I think I would of made a good teacher. If you have just read my situation, then please let me know what you think I should do?? Or can you give me any online links that can HELP ME?? Thank you for your time in reading my situation. If I knew I was wrong at heart or guilty then I wouldn’t have come here on this forum, just like other HONEST persons on here. But, when you know something is NOT RIGHT and doesn’t seem FAIR, then I think WE the PEOPLE need to FIGHT this cause. There NEEDS to be a NEW re-form for this ‘Black Hole’. If my caution was related to working with people, then I totally agree for it to be on my CRB, BUT WHY do I need to have something on there that does not effect my work???
    Thank you for your time.

  45. S-chan says:

    I’m one of the unlucky people at the moment. I received a simple caution at the end of June of this year for common assault. The police said to me that it will last for three years.

    The thing is that I have just completed and officially passed the first year of my degree at University and I’m horribly panicking that based on my CV with experience at the workplace, it’s terrible and I need some experience before I graduate. I want to work with digital media areas like film, web development, design, etc. But I want to teach young people with the skills I have learnt at the college I was studying.

    The thing I’m worried is this CRB checking crap. I feel my life is ruined because of this stupid caution. I only accepted the caution because I don’t want to go to court and ended up being convicted. If they don’t remove caution from my record, then I feel that my life is not worth living for. Even my best friend is devastated with it and knew that I’m trying to have a better future and then this happens.

    Additionally, I’m also worried that it will affect me from obtaining visas/entering to countries like the United States and so on.

    It’s unfair and if it’s not removed within the period the police said to me, then my life is worth nothing.

  46. joe stephens says:

    I am sickened to read how many lifes are being thrown on to the scrap heap due to this evil,medieval,discrimination on cautions and crbs the only problem everyone had who has posted on here,is they are just mentioning cautions and there own small group,what about also all the millions with very minor criminal convictions like fines or conditional discharges or community service or minor time in prison like 6 months to a few years like say 4 maximum and committed a offence once only,they are also getting a kicking for life for one minor error with this crb nonsense,we need to come together all of us and form a proper pressure group as if we dont nothing will change,also for those who dont know this even people with no caution and no conviction what they call soft information meaning if you are innocent in a trial say on a rape charge it will show up on crb that you were on trial for rape so this crb is real evil and will ruin millions till there 100 years of age or dead

    • Daz says:

      Hi Joe,
      Thanks for your comment. If you know of any organisations or your thinking of starting one? Then I’m in! I am just about to call the TDA about my caution (common assault -my story is above) and see if I can get onto a teaching course. At the moment I’m struggling to make ends meat with small jobs here and there, where I would have otherwise been at a school through an agency had it not come up on my CRB! I’m NOT going to let this issue go, because I have dedicated a lot of my life to working in education. Take care

  47. Sam says:

    The CRB system is shocking, so many innocent people are been affected by this. The law is in desperate need of reform. I’m in with anyone who wants to start a pressure group. You desperatley need to meet your MP’s guys to discuss such aspects as the ‘Freedom of Bills’ in which suggestions for the reform of the current law can be made.

  48. Ben says:

    I think some of the issues individuals raised about their personal circumstances and CRB process is a gross human right violation. In particular, check the Human Right Act Article 8 (Right to private and family life), Article 6 (Right to a fair trial), Article 3 (Inhuman treatment) and Article 14 (Discrimination).

    Individuals must discuss their circumstances with a competent lawyer and seek redress quickly. Do not be silent about the violation of your right. Do not ask the Police the answer to your problem because they do not know the legalities of human right. It is only the understanding of the legalities that can remove the details from your CRB under human right act provision.

    Good luck to you all.

  49. Natalie says:

    I’m amazed by what I’m reading here. Why were so many of us misinformed as to how long a caution would stay on our records and told we would never have to disclose it?

    I too feel haunted by something (so minor) that happened over ten years ago and know that if I had to disclose it for a job, all of the studying and hard work I’ve done since then would count for nothing.

  50. Sad says:

    Yes this should be looked at.Pls
    My mental health is worse everyday. I was aware it would remain for 3 years(bad enough)… Now they changed the laws to caution remaining for life…..well theres no life for me …may as well not be here.

    • Daz says:

      Hey, don’t let this situation get to you. We’re in the same boat here and that’s why your on this forum. Keep your head up and move on. Seek legal advise and see where you can go from here? I know it sucks I feel what you’re saying. But build your confidence back up and be strong. If you know you are good for the job and that your ‘caution’ is unrelated, then fight it to the end, don’t let it get you down. Good luck my friend.

  51. Suraj says:

    I also agree that cautions should not remain for life. Especially if it’s a minor first offense.

    Within 3-5 years if a second offense is not committed then it should be cleared even from Enhanced CRB!

    If in life someone had slapped someone. That should not go down on your CRB for life.
    Then what is the meaning of a simple caution then?

    All this does is it criminalises potential innocent people that made a mistake in life. If it’s just a matter of 1 slap/kick it should not remain on your CRB records for life! There’s a difference between a slap and a stab.

    The government does not realise that when you actually make a strict rule like this. It instigates people and makes them think that they are criminals. A slap on someone’s cheek should not be classified as a crime. It is a minor offense. And such minor offense does not make him/her vulnerable to job prospects/employment. Thus shouldn’t appear in your CRB records.

    I also signed this petition.
    http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/13324
    I understand if minor police cautions are held at a police station/PNC for life. But for them to be revealed in CRB checks for employment, etc is too much.

    Actually as a matter of fact. This is not in favour of the British economy. It is against it! If job employments are affected as a result of cautions being revealed in CRB checks. Then the economy of this country will also be affected!

  52. Graham says:

    I was convicted for Section 4 Public Order Act how longs it stay on my crb for it was back in 2010 ?

  53. Jen says:

    Yes remove cautions….one mistake shouldnt ruin our whole lives..PLS…then they wondered why people have mental health problems

  54. graham says:

    i am trying to help s friend who got a caution for putting escort posters in phone booths. He was homeless, penniless, had no right to any benefits and had a family to support and his english was very poor at the time. This was in 2005 and i met him shortly after this. Now in 2012 this caution is still on his file. Having known him i do not know a better, kinder, hardworking person who speaks fluent english as well as 2 other european languages. He recently applied as a volunteer and in the crb it came up. He haf already told the, as he is an open and honest guy and sense prevailed and they said no problem. How can he get this removed? The epetition mentioned above is closed (yesterday) with only 286 signatures? If anyone knows any film makers, this would make a great documentary and start a nationsl debate.

  55. Sam says:

    Just yesterday, I accepted a simple caution from the Police. Recently 18, I had been at the V Festival and stupidly, in a drunken state I jumped onto one of the temporary metal fences causing it to fall over and, apparently, damaging it.

    I woke up in the Police cell I had been taken to, where an officer brought me out and explained my situation. They offered me a phone call and a solicitor, but then presented the caution as an alternative. I was told this meant “I wouldn’t have to go to court”, and that it would stay on Police record only.

    I am a hardworking student, never having any trouble before with the Police. Frankly, I was scared of the court threat and there appeared no alternative. Tired and hungover I admitted to the offence for a caution. It is only now I realise I should have taken a solicitor, and the incredible implications this will have for my future.

    I was not informed that it would appear on my CRB for life, and I am now extremely worried about this ruining my Gap Year Plans for Australia, and a career I have often considered in teaching; or indeed and career at all!

    I feel I have been tricked into accepting a lifelong blemish on my record that will subject me to rejection from employment for life.
    I sympathise with everyone who has posted on this thread feeling the same, and I realise now how many people this scenario has affected.

    Please inform me of any petitions or, as mentioned in the above comment, any media methods of taking this injustice on so many genuine people to a level of national debate. I sincerely hope for both myself and all others in this position that we are not eternally viewed, wrongly, as criminals.

    • bungle says:

      its only after the event people realise a caution isnt the slap on the wrist the police make it out to be.

      They are not your friend, they want people to accept cautions because it becomes a crime solved, whereby otherwise they would have to submit a application to prosecute with the cps and most of the times courts do not have the time to deal with petty things and would refuse on costs grounds.

      Therefor the case would not even get of the ground

  56. amanda says:

    I agree I just got let go from my dream job because of a caution I was homeless and stole a £2 sandwich I was pregnant at the time I was told when arrested it would b cleared within 5 years but the law changed in 2009 I am now left with no job and two children to support who would have thought is lose my job due to a £2 sandwich I ate 5 and a half years ago

  57. john says:

    The nice policeman said..

    “I wouldn’t normally tell people to plead guilty to something they haven’t done , but it’s only a slap on the wrist and it saves you going to court”

  58. Shaun says:

    My story is pretty similar to everyone elses. Got involved in a fight outside a club 9 years ago and ended up with a caution for common assault. I was 18 years old and its quite obviously ridiculous that something like that can have an effect on your life a decade on. So i totally agree with the idea of setting up a pressure group, speaking to MP’s and signing petitions and all that.
    Having said that I’m not convinced everyones situation is as bad as they think. I know people with positive CRB’s that are teachers, nurses and doctors. I myself coach football to kids and had to get CRB checked. Before I sent my form off I told my prospective boss what had happened to which he replied “who hasnt got into a fight in town before?”. It came back positive in the way I explained to him and I had to fill out a risk assessment form, bish, bash, bosh!!!
    Look, I agree with the thread, and would love the process to change, but if it doesnt, most of you should still be fine. You may get knocked back a couple of times, may have to endure some awkward conversations and in some cases re-live some horrible memories, but keep plugging away and I’m sure we’ll all get where we want to be. All the best.

  59. lily may says:

    in 1994 when I was 15 I was with friends in town and they were drinking, the police told us to go home, we didn’t so got arrested and cautioned for a public order act. I was told that having a caution is not the same as a criminal record and would be removed in 5 years. since then I have had a child, got a degree, a full time job and 2 other volunteering jobs, but when I applied to be a police officer they said no because of my cautions and me having had worked so hard in getting my degree to be a police officer and spent nearly 20,000 on university, I just don’t see it fair as all I have ever wanted to do is be a police officer

    • The Man From Nowhere says:

      A view from the “Dark Side”. Ask yourself if being a police officer is what you really truly want? As a new student officer you can expect to be dealing with domestics, chasing “confetti”(penalty tickets for endorseable/non-endorseable offences) to keep your sergeant/inspector happy, chasing “detections” (cautions/final warnings/reprimands are easy detections hence why less scrupulous police officers go for them. Like electricity, they choose the path of least resistance), dealing with the same drunken idiots who want to fight the whole world every weekend, dealing with people who are so drunk they’ve soiled themselves, vomited over themselves every other day etc etc etc. It’s a job. It pays the mortgage. Don’t become fixated on this one job. It’s just a job at the end of the day no matter how it’s sold to you. Trust me, spend a few years doing it and all that bright-eyed wonderment will soon be burnt out of you. There are other fulfilling careers out there. You just have to be open-minded. Or you could try your hand at self-employment? That way you don’t have to dread the CRB check.

      Don’t despair. Determination is more productive than despair. Be determined. You’ll get there in the end. Your life isn’t over. It’s just beginning.

  60. Alex says:

    Same here, I defended myself against a drunken woman in the street who attacked me. The police said we should both accept a caution. I said no way. It went to court and I walked out free of any charge. Do not ever accept a caution it is as bad as a conviction if you need a crb check.et the police do their job and have your day in court

  61. MummyV says:

    Totally agree, a mistake which is viewed not to be serious enough to prosecute should be forgiven. They should be removed from record after 5 years so people can get on with their lives.

  62. David Woolley says:

    I didn’t realise it stayed with you for life, I have a caution; my daughter was being bullied outside my house, I led the bully home by the arm, her parents called the police I got a caution for assault , I thought they stayed with you for 5 years.

  63. Penny says:

    I believe that the whole recording of incidents is seriously flawed including the giving of cautions. I was cautioned 6 years ago when considered a vulnerable person and with no legal representation on the bail date when cautioned. I complained to the police more recently and was told that the crime is ‘spent’ so what am I worrying about. Apparently only the Justice Secretary can change PNC records so perhaps we all need to get together and get the law changed. It ruins lives of innocent people too scared to go through the justice system. The real criminals don’t give a dam and aren’t phased by it. do you also know that police forces keep their own databases of information on you and you can be reported umpteen times by a malicious person and no nothing about it, then you get arrested for a minor misdemeanour and the police use this information which you cannot access through data protection or freedom of information. I have just taken the police to court to get this information which cost me a fortune. I had no opportunity to defend myself when I did not know I was being accused of anything. The same applies to arrests which are all listed on a CRB check even if you are released with no charge and employers may think there is no smoke without fire. This all needs changing and I propose working together to try and do this.

  64. Eleanor says:

    Six years ago my husband the father of my three children and I had a domestic. I called the police to calm the situation and not realising we both would be given cautions.
    The police officer told us this was just a warning and should not affect our professions. This was lie my Husband lost his job as nurse and i am struggling to get a job as im trained midwife.

    The system is unfair and now our kids are suffering

  65. sacril says:

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  66. mike craig says:

    The caution is a symptom of just how far our society has moved towards fascism. What I find equally worrying is that so many of the anecdotes above appear to be saying that it is acceptable to caution people with low academic achievement but not those, like the proposer, who have degrees and PhDs. Shouldn’t ‘fedupofinjustice’ be fedupwithinjustice?

  67. Tom says:

    I just can’t understand how this still continues. I received my caution for a petty fight with some people I used to go to school with at the age of 19. I’m now 23 and now I’ve finished university am blighted by this one time error, which caused no damage to anybody but the police palmed me off as a 1st time offender. I had no other options to me it was seen at the time,no lawyer, what else do people do!

    This needs to be gone or if anything re-assessed by the prosecuted person by the police. Maybe in for an interview to discuss whether it should be cleared. None of my career options are available!

  68. Tom says:

    Mike I see your reasoning here, but what would you do of you had somehow ended up with a caution and were in our situations, I’m sure your reply will be something along the lines of ‘I wouldn’t have ever got myself into such a situation’. But what if it had, I feel as though my life,learning, education has been for nothing. I want to teach others and I can’t because of a mistake I made when I was 19. I’m just so upset with myself and feel so trapped.

  69. Max says:

    At least make the disclosure relevant to the job in question. For example, if you were cautioned for drug dealing, then this would only come up if you were going to work in a chemist
    I got caught with Drugs and now cant teach guitar in schools. I am an excellent guitar teacher and not a pedophile…

  70. ruth renhard says:

    people who receive cautions
    for trying to protect other people or for minor incidents and who are law abiding citizens are usually very frightened and upset and acceppt the caution stupidly thinking it is a slap on the wrist and the police should use their common sense and talk to both partiesnot bribe people into something which can ruin their life.Cautions are given for both minor and more major things and that is totally unfair.

  71. Em says:

    So relieved to find others in my position. After getting into a silly scrap in town I received a police caution for common assault with the promise it was a simple slap on the wrist and it meant I wouldn’t have to go to court. After being kept in a police cell for 7 hours without food/water or any information about what was happening I did as I was told so that I could go home. I am now finding it incredibly difficult to get a job for a silly mistake made when I was 18! Crb checks are being carried out where they are not needed and ruining perfectly decent people’s life chances. I only hope this problem will be addressed or I will continue to regret that night for the rest of my life.

  72. paul says:

    In 1995 my wife was very ill ,i stupidly forgot to hand in 70-100pounds in a balance from a delivery i had to do in work when the manager and delivery person quit, i was going through a lot and put the cash in my back pocket and the stress as it was christmas , and the children and everything it slipped my mind,i used the money without thinking about it ,they took me to court, i pled guilty ,got a suspended sentence or something my wife died in 2002 ,but a few years before that my inlaws knowing my wife was ill and if she passed away they would not get to see the children ,as the mother in law was an ex prostitute ,drug addict and they were a very violent family with bad criminal records and i come from a good family (we had nothing to do with them my wife hated them she was in care upto 12 yrs old and met me at 16 she never wanted to leave care ) accused me of all manner of things from gbh to child sexual abuse of their children i went to crown court and proved my innocence on all 16 or 17 charges and found obviously not guilty the charges were ludicrous now 17 yrs later while doing deliveries for a company i got pulled over for a security check and the theft charge showed up i didn’t have a clue what they were talking about at first then they looked into it further because i am working for a company that has to access high security places ,im obviously pretty worried as if my bosses do a check on me this will show up and i will lose my job ,i haven’t offended since this was a one off due to everything that was happening what do i do .and im scared of the other things showing up my brothers have all got very good jobs highly paid etc but i have stuck on low paid jobs because of all this ,my fiancee is Canadian and knows everything that family have done to me and the theft charge but wants me to emigrate with her back to Canada i know i can’t because of all this showing up

  73. paul says:

    When i left court i was told not a stain would be held on my character , so how come now im worried when i have done nothing wrong , , i forgot to add with the theft charge the place i worked was going bankrupt and according to the other staff they proceeded with me to avoid paying redundancy i even offered to repay the money but was refused ,i feel like my life is basically over and wish i listened to my parents regarding that family , i can’t fulfill my career, move abroad or do anything .

  74. Rupert Murdoch says:

    Is a caution spent over a certain time i.e five years. If so surely the local authority can’t dismiss a colleague for gross misconduct. Yeah i suppose non disclosure might be seen as dishonest, but if it spent surely you don’t have to disclose the matter right?

  75. Sandra says:

    There have been recent changes to the CRB since 10th Sept 2012, does it affect cautions in anyway? willl the cautions still show up?

  76. Ash says:

    I agree – the system is so corrupt!

    My dodgy ex landlord attacked me in the middle of the street and split my head open, whilst trying to break my fingers and, soon after, chasing me down the street with a sharp piece of paving slab.

    During the struggle, I unintentionally gave him a black eye.

    I am being charged with battery. As for him? Nothing. Not a tiny iota.

    I work in financial services as an insurance underwriter and now fear for my job. My solicitor and the officer who dealt with the case are suggesting pleading guilty and ending up with a caution.

    So it’s plead not guilty and gamble my life, or plead not guilty for something I feel to be unfair and possibly lose my job and any opportunity for the things I have planned for the future. It’s like a sick game show.

    I am NOT a criminal. It seems when you’re attacked you have to let yourself get beaten to a pulp or face a charge. I have no idea what stands as ‘self defense’, but it feels like in the eyes of the law, someone who fears for their life and hits out to defend their self is classed as violent.

    I am disgusted by the law system and have no faith in it whatsoever.

  77. Rose says:

    I can’t get a job as a teacher because I was given a caution, yet it was me who had the black eye from an ex boyfriend when I signed it!! I’ve had a solicitor to appeal it, to no avail. Now I can’t even get a job as a teaching assistant !!

  78. yomi says:

    I feel so happy knowing that I am not the only one in this situation. I have been a Tefl Teacher for over six years. I love teaching and am now trying to make the transition from EFL to mainstream education.

    I have convictions dating back to when I was 13 years old. I am now 45. My mother was told that the bomb hoax would be removed when I was 16. It is still there.

    When I was 20, i stole five pounds from an employer and when I was 21, got caught with a couple of cannabis joints.

    I am being turned down for simple teaching assistant jobs because of something that happened years ago.

    Yes, I had a rocky childhood, but that in no way reflects who I am today.

  79. John says:

    I completely agree with others on this site. The Police are handing out cautions like confetti. It makes them look good on their clear up rate and the Poloticians like it because it makes them look tough on crime.

    However, is this the kind of society we want to live in where a person is marked for life for one usually out of character mistake? Surely everyone is entitled to a slip or two without it affecting their entire life?

    This kind of thing alienates the Police from the public, just look at the outcry against the Police Officer that challenged the Conservative Whip at the gates of Downing St recently. Giving out cautions undermines the authority of the Police. Who is going to want to act as a witness to a minor incident when they know that the poor individual concerned is going to be branded for life for his supposed crime.

    There was a time when people were cautioned by the Police and nothing more. Now with the advent of the CRB, we are slowly but surely being nationally criminalised by our own Police force. Finger prints and DNA are taken and kept for life. Isn’t this just the back door to creating a DNA database, something the Conservatives campaigned against in opposition?

    How will it look to other countries when every other Brit looking to holiday or work in their country seems to be a criminal? Makes you proud to be British, doesn’t it?

    The Police do not take into consideration the circumstances of the case, they are just hungry for a confession by any means and are, it appears, systematically fooling people into admitting guilt.

    The kids growing up today, will probably all end up with a caution. The only good thing about this is that eventually employers will only have people with cautions to choose from and the stigma will be gone.

    Poloticians should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this. In the meantime people, the only good vote is, no vote. The less people vote, the less authority we give these people to govern. I will not vote again until we stop heading further and further into a Police State where all freedoms have been removed.

  80. Fabien Mackenzie says:

    Last year after losing a loved one i was in a very dark place.
    I was heavily bereaved and turned to drink for solace.
    I was into a local Tesco where i lost my temper with one of the staff.
    I remember just screaming and then just went home.
    On my way home i was arrested and roughly dragged into a police car.
    I had not hurt anyone in Tesco it was more of a temper tantrum which made me look a bit stupid more than anything.
    I spent a night in the cells and i believe Tesco did not press charges.
    The next day i was charged with a public order offence and fined £80.00.
    On my fixed penalty notice it says i was drunk and abusive.
    I have a C.R.B enhanced disclosure which is fine.
    However the Company i wish to work for is requesting an I.S.A check also.
    Will that incident from last year be recorded?
    I am looking to work with the Elderly and the word Abusive has been recorded.
    I fear that this incident will affect my future.
    Can anyone advise please?

  81. jim says:

    There were a number of changes made to the CRB system that went into effect on 10th September 2012. These were based on a number of recommendations from Sunita Mason.

    Unfortunately, though she reccomended the filtering of old and minor cautions. This recommendation was not taken up by the government.

    Big shame. It will obviously be a while until this changes now.

  82. Real Istbear says:

    A caution can bwe given arbitraily–for example, if you have been rude to a Policeman or for a very minor offence that should not give you a record for life. It is unfair, unjust and should no longer be used. Same for th Rehab of Offenders Act–you either have an offence on the record for life or not. No inbetween.

  83. Lama says:

    CRB check should be for a serious offenders. I have got a caution just protecting myself from a drunken man. It was in 2002 when this drunken man hit me and I pushed him to protect myself. unfortunately, he hit his head in the door latch and got cut. Now it is damaging my carrier. I am a qualified chef but I can not get job in a well establishment therefore, instead of chef I am doing kitchen porter job. I do not know how could I survive in this difficult financial time. I have to pay my rent and look after my family as well. Further, I have a too many medical conditions as well. Rather than applying for any kinds of benefit I am trying to work and stand on my own foot. However, caution on my crb is not helping me at all.

    Therefore, caution should be remove within a certain time (may be within a year).

  84. karen says:

    I agree totally – in my case 12 years ago my beautiful 13 year old daughter came home in a dreadful state – she had been constantly bullied by a girl of 18. I took my daughter with me to see the women who was attacking her – this women swore at me and threatened me she went home got a friend to hit her then told the police I had hit her with an umbrella and be a witness to this! The police said as she had a witness and even though I had been set up there was little they could do. The police came to my home and told me I had 2 options 1) go to court or 2 accept a caution which would only affect me short term. I accepted a caution for 2 reasons 1) my daughter was scared of repercussions if we took it further and more abuse from this women and 2) I didn’t want the incident made public again for my daughters sake.
    It has affected me greatly as I have 2 little boys at primary school.
    I can not be on the school PTA or help at the school even though my skills would be of a massive benefit. Also my children would love me helping out at school.
    It is such a shame.

  85. sam says:

    hi friends I met a lady had a good chat with her she was around 60s I am in my 30s . she invited me to her house and wore attractive clothes etc. I thought may be she likes me so sat next to her and while chatting she had a rose tattoo on her shoulder near the chest which was visible . I said that’s looks good and touched her, she turned around and said please leave I don’t like all this I said sorry my mistake and left. after some days police came arrested me and cautioned me as sexual assault.
    they told me I cant work with children and vunerable adults and I believe this stays for lifetime.

    ” I am a foreigner and going to apply for my ILR soon does any body has any commects that will this caution affect my indefinate leave to remain in UK.
    Please friends give me a good answer thank u…

  86. Peter Danby says:

    When you fill in a enhanced CRB disclosure form and sign it you are wavering your right to article 8 of the Human Rights Act, this was a ruling done by the supreme Court in 2009…

    The Uk police do not have CRB disclosures, but have a in house check, they have discretion to employ anybody, in fact in my opinion it’s easier to get a job in the police once you have a criminal record. I hope the link below opens as you will see what crimes the UK police have committed… http://info.fmotl.com/PoliceList.pdf
    http://info.fmotl.com/PoliceList.pdf
    info.fmotl.com

  87. Bobby1980 says:

    Lets be grown up now. Just because you have a caution will not stop you getting a job, you all say you avoid crb checks,why?

    If you work with kids etc they are only interested if you have caution for sex offences or abusing kids…

    They don’t care that you had a row with your ex…

    • JD says:

      Yes they do come up on CRB checks, and I have just been told I cannot even volunteer at a special needs nursery all because I received a caution due to a personal argument I had with my husband in 2008. They did not see anything, nor did anything terrible happen, but they said they had to intervene in case anything else were to happen. My husband was walking the streets at 2am because i had told him to leave! I was led to believe it was a warning and would be deleted in 5 years. This was in 2008 which would have been correct, however as the law changed in 2009 this will remain on my record until I am 100. My dream is to work with special needs children in hospitals or nurseries, or charity work, however none of this I can now do. As a law abiding citizen I KNOW I will never get another caution (or hope if things were fair!) however what about these people who are at a crossroads and want to turn their lives around? If they have one caution that will ruin their life career…….why not have 10! It’s just ludicrous.

  88. Bobby1980 says:

    And let’s be clear cautions are spent convictions( spent as soon as they are given)… A normal crb check won’t see them and you don’t have to disclose them by law. Only an enhanced crb check will see cautions…

    • James says:

      This is exactly what I need to know! Everybody says cautions WILL be revealed through An ordinary CRB check? There is so much confussion with this issue

  89. Bobby1980 says:

    And employers can only do crb checks with your written permission

    • Jubayer Chaudhury says:

      If any possible to clear my crb.and I want to go back my taxi job. I lost my own house.and I am jobless now. My kids are left from enjoyable previous life.very hard life I pasting from last two years!

  90. max says:

    I am in the same boat – it’s not fair. I was experimenting (as people do) with class a drugs. I know it’s bad, but I did not even buy the drugs! I got a caution but was not fully informed – was told if I except a caution it will be like a slap on the wrist. It’s not! It has affected employment ever since!! It’s not fair, it must change!!!

  91. connie hammer says:

    i just want to share my experience and testimony here.. i was married for 6 years to my husband and all of a sudden, another woman came into the picture.. he started hailing me and he was abusive..but i still loved him with all my heart and wanted him at all cost?then he filed for divorce..my whole life was turning apart and i didn’t know what to do..he moved out of the house and abandoned the kids.. so someone told me about trying spiritual means to get my husband back and introduced me to a spell caster?so i decided to try it reluctantly..although i didn’t believe in all those things? then when he did the special prayers and spell, after 2days, my husband came back and was pleading..he had realized his mistakes..i just couldn’t believe it.. anyways we are back together now and we are happy..in case anyone needs this man, his email address [email protected], his spells is for a better life. again his email is [email protected]

  92. Micheal says:

    I have simple caution to avoid travel with valid ticket, anybody knows how to remove this mistake, is it really shown on my CRB record? Is possible for my to apply for jobs in finance sector…please help, I am loosing money and time..it hurts…

  93. AK says:

    Bobby mate are you for real. You seem like a joke buddy why have you even come on this page ? You are the only one that has made me mad on this page.

    1) 99.9% CRB done is ENHANCED DISCLOSURE, no company really bothers with a standard CRB. Just the way it is.

    2)So it doesnt matter if its spent, it still comes up.

    3) If you are wanting to do care work or be a nurse or teach work with kids I’m pretty sure a caution for Actual bodily harm would affect it, I could be wrong.

  94. Rosie says:

    Hi I have a similar story to all of you. Five years ago, aged 14, I got into a stupid fight at school. As I was a bit of a “Naughty” student, the school took her side, she then proceeded to press charges. I received a caution. Five years later I have totally turned my life around and I am applying for university in 2013. I eventually want to go into clinical or educational Psychology but am worried it will affect my career prospects. Does anyone have any advice or information they can give me?

  95. Jodie says:

    I am in a similar situation, cautioned due to self defence, my stepdad saw it as ‘teaching me a by calling the police, I was 17 at the time, i am now 24 and its wrecked my life, I can’t get any jobs in anything I would like to be doing, even though the caution was only criminal damage. if there was a way of changing the way an enhanced disclosure works or a way of removing minor offences, it would totally change my life

  96. Kirsty says:

    Everyone makes mistakes in their lives, especially when they are young. For many young people growing up is a struggle, they are already given a negative label by society, which then may lead to some of them acting upon this label. As well as many other reasons such as family breakdown, homelessness, peer pressure etc, it is easy for young people to fall into crime. Everybody makes mistakes in their lives, and they should not be judged by this for the rest of their lives. There should be a system that does not discriminate everyone for their mistakes, but uphold them on their progress and change they have made in their lives.

  97. Kay says:

    Someone falsely had made a counter allegation against me when I phoned the police on him after he threathned my life after I defended myself from his physical attack. I was then arrested for common assault to which I am not guilty of nor convicted. The police had taken my picture, dna and fingerprints and let me out of the station only an hour in a cell after the allegations were dropped against me. I never had a caution nor was I ever arrested in my life. I am a graduate with very little work experience. Would my arrest come up on a CRB? As this may cause a problem with me having the career I want to have in the third sector. The police did not press me to admit fault or take a caution so as I understand, I do not have a caution against me or so I think. Can someone please help?

  98. linda stone says:

    totally agree!!! i wasnt even cauted yet an arrest comes up on my CRB !! according to a probation officer i asked about this, the incident should have been removed from my “record” after 6 month as i was relesed without charge. 4 years on and 3 appeals to the cleveland police commisioner and it is still on their, so every time i apply for a job, i have to be interviewd around this and explain my self and the then abusive situation.

    • Si says:

      Got a caution for Common Assault in 2008. Stupid incident, nothing serious. I admitted to it because I wanted out of the Police Cell. It got reported to the NMC (I was a nurse) and my employer. Lost my job. Can’t re-train in social work because of it. NHS don’t want to know. Can’t teach, etc etc etc. Wrote to the local Head of Police politely asking for it to be removed…got a reply saying that it stays on your record for 100 YEARS!!
      Wish that I had gone to court and contested the incident. We live in a completely judgmental and paranoid society. CRB’s were created to protect vulnerable people from the likes of Huntley and Carr. Now, every other job requires one, even for cleaning staff. Why? Because it’s another huge income generator, and a good one at that.

      Once you’ve got a caution on you’re CRB, you remain CRB Positive….for a hundred years at least.

      • pomegranate says:

        This sounds very similar to what I have experienced. Were you told by police that the caution would be removed from your record after 5 years? This is the issue that angers me the most – police are lying to people, making them believe that they are accepting a lesser punishment, just to get them to accept the caution.

  99. Hello all,
    I have scouted the Internet this morning as research into the various epetition’s fighting for a change in the police caution/reprimand system. Shockingly, I found that NO SINGLE PETITION HAS EVER OBTAINED 1000 signatures!! We would need 100,000!!
    The problem is that we are not going the right way about doing something about it. We certainly have no chance of getting 100,000 signatures in time using current methods!!
    So today I will be setting up a twitter account as the first step in our fight for justice. From here, it will be my aim to gain as many followers as possible, the closer we get to 100,000 the better. When the time is right, I will apply for an epetition that demands the 100 year law to be abolished!! Completely!! As it should be!! And for a total review of the caution/reprimand system.

    At the moment, all I am seeing is people setting up epetition’s for aspects that relate to them and them alone. We should be fighting together for a complete revxiew of the police caution system.

    Stand by for the twitter account address people. This starts today!!

    Cautions should not be for life!! Just fair!!

    Jamie

  100. Hello again.
    Please follow ‘Saynoto100′ on twitter.
    Together we can fight this unjust ruling an restore fairness and human rights!!
    From here we can make a difference.

    Many thanks,
    Jamie

    • veronika says:

      I can’t find you on twitter..

    • Wendy says:

      I couldn’t find you on Twitter either Jamie… I’m in the same boat as everyone here – caution for criminal damage – threw a plant pot at a woman’s door who had been threatening to burn my house down after my partner had just died and I was going through a bad time. My mum died 3 months ago and I have decided I wanted to do care work with the elderly. Had an instant response to my application but as soon as I had to mention the caution that was the end of it. I would never have accepted the caution if I’d understood the ramifications of it – had I refused – it would never have even got to court!

  101. veronika says:

    Fantastic idea. Common sense really.

    Do we want more or less employable people?

    Do we want more or less depressed people?

    A caution its just bad luck, not really a reliable source for character judgement

  102. Michael Spencer says:

    Back in 2003, I was working as a Doorman in Barnsley,South Yorkshire. I was one of a few who where legally licensed and trained (prior to the SIA licensing) which was varified by all of South Yorkshires 4 Authorities.
    One night a scuffle broke out within the nightclub I was working in (Club Hedonism), which now is long shut. This scuffle was so violent that it took 6 of the nightclub’s doormen, myself included, to remove the 2 main culprits, two ex-professional boxers whom where high on coke. Once outside the scuffle continued and both men would not stop. One of them hit me with such force that it knocked me over (captured on the street CCTV system) I retaliated with one single punch (captured on CCTV) and returned to the club. As per normal the police arrived late, as the trouble had calmed down, but on reviewing the CCTV footage I, and 3 other door staff, were given a Cautions for common assault, which follows me like a bad penny everywhere I go, even though it’s 9 years on.
    Don’t for one minute think a caution is nothing and that potential employers don’t take them into consideration, because from my experiences, they do!!!!

  103. Jamie Jones says:

    I fully support this idea. I’m a student at university, 22 years old, studying English and History with dreams of becoming a Secondary School teacher. However a few weeks ago I went out with friends, I ended up worse for wear and was understandably denied entry into the Nightclub. Unfortunately my friends entered the night club without me which left me stranded in the middle of the town centre with no way of getting back home. Unfortunately this angered me and I decided to lash out irrationally on the nearest thing to me which was a car wing mirror. I ended up taking this clean off, was arrested and cautioned for my offence. I immediately admitted my guilt for the offence, have offered to compensate the victim for the damages and have undertaken alcohol intervention classes. I am a good person and a hard-working student. However I feel that this one-off incident may have jeopardised any career plans that I may have. I have never committed an offence before nor do I intend to ever again but I feel that I have now been punished for this silly mistake for life.

  104. reg says:

    I agree.
    The UK legal system is corrupted and unless you are a Sir like jimmy saville, the police will treat us like trash.
    I’m not proud of the Riots but some of those kids were trying to say something: “Help”

    about me: I have slapped in the face a guy that called my girlfriend b*tch. admited – simple caution.

  105. Robin says:

    About 10 years ago, at University, I had a drunken night out with a friend and we went back to his house and had some silly drunken idea to wake up his housemates, yes stupid I know. Anyway one of his housemates was a girl with whom I did not get along with so well. The next day my friend (from the drunken night out) tells me this girl was on the phone to her mother and exaggerated the incident saying ‘I came on to her’. The Mother apparently came around (she was local) and dragged the girl off to the University to make a complaint. I was then interviewed by the University under police supervision where it was decided I’d receive a warning by the University about my conduct and was assured the matter was over and that the girl had no desire to take this issue any further. I should point out here that the extent of the complaint was that I had stroked her on the back in a sexually sugestive manner. About a year later a policeman came knocking on my door saying they had to follow up this incident due to some vague ‘government procedure’ and I had to be interviewed. Before the interview I was assured that the worst that would happen is that I’d receive a caution for common assault, probably not even that and there was no need or point asking for a solicitor as I’d be out in a couple of hours, where I could be in all day if I asked for one. I was interviewed where I related the details of the incident as I recalled them. Half way through the incident the tape was stopped and the policeman advised me to admit to the allegations to speed up the process. I complied. Big error. Only when they brought out the charge sheet did they reveal to me that they had in fact cautioned me under section 3 of the Sexual Offenders Act (touching a female no penetration). I was quickly assured that it wasn’t a big deal and that it’d be removed in 5 years. I was told that I wouldn’t be going on the barred list too. Sure enough a couple of months later I received a letter saying I was on the barred list. I immediately appealed against this and was swiftly removed from the list. I thought that was the end of the matter. This year I decided to pursue a change in career, deciding I wanted to be a Librarian, it’s something I’ve wanted for a while. To get a job as Library Assistant in an academic library they usually request some experience volunteering in a local Library, or it enhances your chances a hell of a lot. So I went and applied to volunteer at my local library, only to be told they wouldn’t have me because of my caution. I have contacted a solicitor and intend to fight for the removal of this caution but its going to be very difficult and has probably ended my career before its even began.

  106. Justin says:

    Hello, I agree with you all guys, I am in trouble too.
    Found this petition. So please vote

    http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/u-k-government-clear-cautions-from-enhanced-crb-checks-after-two-years#share

  107. anonymous says:

    Hi all,
    after receiving a simple caution nearly 5 years ago for harrassment – my ex girlfriend complained regarding text messages (none of which were offensive), I have have lost count of the number of sleepless nights and worry this has caused me.
    Like many of you, it was made clear that a caution would be an easy option. I asked if it would be something that would come up in any employment checks (i work in Finance) and was told it only affects teachers and the like. of course, since naively accepting it, I started looking on the internet and I’m not sure that helps because there is so much conflicting information (even police officers don’t know the outcome of checks. I know this because I have asked, also asked CAB and other agencies – getting conflicting advise at every turn).
    Whilst at the police station I offered up evidence that would disprove much of what had been claimed against me, particularly in terms of the time period – I was not given the opportunity to show this and basically advised to accept the caution. I had never been in a police station in my life (never been in one since), so panicked. I wish I had waited for a solicitor because am positive that it would never have gone to court. In fact the torment this has caused me since, is probably worse.
    Whilst I agree that certain people should be punished and checks should be made, there has been no consideration given for those of us that are good honest people who want to get on with our lives, I have often felt like I have a dark cloud over me and have spent numerous hours trying to establish if certain jobs opportunities would not come my way because of all this, or the indignity of taking a new job and waiting to see if you get called in by the HR department to rake up something minor from years ago.

    Another thing, what about travelling to the USA etc…this never gets mentionned at the station either and without any legal advice, many of us who are naive, only find out the potential repurcussions afterwards. Re travel, I have not yet had a definative answer on this. You are supposed to state if you have been arrested but do the authorities check whilst you are airbourne? I havent travelled to the US since receiving the caution but very much want to in the near future.
    I sympathise with most of the above posts and although Im not working in Education, the checks within the financial industry are everywhere now. I have only had basic checks made, which is obviously ok but still worry that i may be subject to a standard disclosure if I move companies in the future and no amount of searching on the net gives you the answer, as it seems that the government allows companies to take it upon themselves to do Standard checks at their leisure regardless of the relevance to the posts.
    Sorry for the ramble but reading this thread has bought it all back to me.
    I could just about deal with the fact that a caution will be held on the PNC for life but for it to be accessible and visible in any checks by employers for the rest of your life is unacceptable but i can’t see this being changed anytime soon. You sometimes hear about changes but these things take forever to change and are often just mentionned on a whim by politicians until the next agenda arises

  108. Tim says:

    I sent three texts after my partner told me to stop sending them despite the fact we had been together for 7 1/2 years. For that I was arresting, kept in a cell all day and received a caution despite her leaving out the bit that we had been living together. I was not given any warning for what was the first time I had been contacted by the police. So so so unfair.

  109. anonymous says:

    Tim,
    that is very similar situation to me. Yet there are people out there that treat their partners horribly and get away with it .If everyone was cautioned for a few text messages, half the population would be in this situation. The worst thing is that a potential employer could just take one look at the crb and assume that you are some kind of stalker, it’s potentially humiliating

  110. James says:

    my ex girlfriend lied to me her mum was dying when I found out I kept texting her asking why she lied. She phoned the police and accused me of harrasment the police lied to me and said the caution will disapear in 5 years so I accepted it now I am so worried.

  111. Big boy says:

    Everlasting cautions is shame-I can’t add more. I am foreigner in this country and someone mentioned in this website that locals are not favoured against foreigners with clean CRB’s in the job market. My case is different. I got caution more than five years ago under highly debatable circumstances. I was accused of beating one care home resident while giving bath to him. He attacked me physically (I was on my knees drying resident, he started to punch my head), I showed him clenched fist in the air telling to stop it. I was in vulnerable position, had no training to work with residents having mental impairments. Plus there was only one witness who reported me (not enough evidence) and police officer said that ‘there is only a simple chat, you may not need solicitor’. I was so naive not to take solicitor, plus I haven’t been warned what is going to happen if I get cautioned. Police officer was biased all the time, I felt massive pressure on me to say things which I haven’t done. It is shame and human rights abuse that cautions are forever on your personal file. Something must be done about it and it is matter for Human Rights organizations and European Court of Human Rights to have a deep look into it. I still hope that common sense will prevail and all these things is questioned again at the highest level. Things as they are now can not last forever.

  112. Bungle says:

    what annoys me more than anything is that a celebrity chef can be caught red handed on more than one occasion thieving cheese and they get a just a caution which i also recieved for “theft by finding”. This despite a proven history of always handing items into the police and the said item was still not claimed after more than 7 weeks. And yet the caution still stands.

  113. pomegranate says:

    I received a police caution almost 5 years ago, under very similar circumstances to those mentioned by many here. After spending a night in a cell and having no idea whether my boyfriend of the time – now my husband – had been beaten up or not, I was interviewed and threatened with a possible 3 years prison sentence. I am not proud of what I was cautioned for, though even the police accepted that I had been provoked. 5 years on, the incident still haunts me. Having found myself in a situation I would never have thought possible and then kept in police custody for over 18 hours, I was naturally very upset and frightened. I had neve been in any kind of trouble before and was distraught at being arrested. I was advised to accept a caution and was told that it would come off my record after 5 years, which I very quickly learned afterwards was a lie; a lie, it seems, the police are rather fond of telling people who are completely unfamiliar with police procedures and would sign their souls to the devil in order to be allowed to go home. I often now find myself wishing that I had accepted a charge. If the case had gone to court then it is likely I may have faced a conviction, yet it seems now this would have been a lesser punishment than the caution I received. A conviction would have been deemed ‘spent’ after 5 years, yet the caution – a supposed ‘slap on the wrist’ – is with me for life and has ruined my career. I was a teacher when this incident took place and had recently stepped down from a very stressful post at a tough school. After the incident I was able to get supply work, but have since only secured one permanent post: a job for which the application post had no criminal convictions section. When the school became aware of the caution the head teacher was thankfully understanding and accepted that I hadn’t withheld the information from them. He did, however, make it clear that had the information been available on the application form, it was unlikely that I would even have been invited for an interview. The school unfortunately closed and though he and the deputy head teacher provided me with glowing references, no other school is interested. I will never get another teaching post and it is unlikely that I will ever again earn a decent salary. I am married now and my husband and I are trying for a baby. Things have not yet gone our way and I have already considered the fact that, should it occur that one or both of us has fertility issues, we would never be able to adopt a child because my caution was for an assault. In essence, both my entire working life and family life could be ruined by one stupid mistake. I paid for what I did: my career was jeopardised and I was made a public example of by the teaching council, who decided to take it upon themselves to be judge and jury. I received a 2 year reprimand: another supposed ‘slap on the wrist’. I am humiliated every time the issue arises and I have to relive that night over and over again, having people who know nothing about me or the person I am judging me on a single mistake. I have a BA, an MA and a PGCE: now all meaningless. It often feels as though I will spend the rest of my life paying for my mistake and I feel for everyone here who expresses similar fears and concerns for their futures. The system is ludicrous. I know of someone who has been arrested and convicted on numerous occasions for drug possession and intention to supply, yet he has been able to keep a job coaching sport to teenagers. I don’t want to be a bitter person, but it is becoming very difficult to be otherwise.

  114. Clazza says:

    Everlasting cautions on enhanced CRBs are a form of abuse and destroy many good people’s lives.
    They make no economic sense and have no bearing on someone’s ability to work productively in the public or private sector.
    Perhaps a class action in the European Court of Human Rights would change government policy. We would need a champion legal team for this, though…

  115. Karen says:

    I completely agree that cautions for minor offences where you only have the one should be taken off your record. I got into a fight with a group of girls when we were 16, 37 years ago. I don’t even remember hitting anyone, but we were all taken to court and I was charged with ABH and fined £10! Then in 1985 I was wrongly accused of theft but in the end accepted a caution as I did not realize the consequences and believed it was just a reprimand and nothing more. 4 years ago I had my first CRB check for a job and was horrified when it came back with these convictions still on my record. It is now ruining my life and making me afraid that I will not be able to get a good decent job even though I have a degree, pgce and several other qualifications. I think the Government should bring in a law where convictions can be removed under certain circumstances, where the persons life is being compromised for no good purpose.

    • Karen says:

      Also, I have written to the Police to ask for my statement regarding the caution for theft as that would prove what I had said in my defense for any new employer, but they only keep statements for 16 years. So if the statement can be thrown out after so many years why does the caution have to stay on record? It makes me really angry.

  116. Chilli pepper says:

    I’m 22 years old…almost 23. When I was 14 I was reprimanded for having a fight outside school. Since then I went on to get good grades at school, good a levels. I worked Ian fast food chain for 6 years, however I was quite high up as one of the senior managers. 2 days ago I went for a job as a care worker to vulnerable old people. They offered me the job on the condition that my crb is clear. I never declared this as I was informed by the police officer that it would be wiped off my record aged 18. I now can’t get in touch with the person who offered me the job until after the weekend. After reading this thread I am worried sick as I have signed an enhanced crb. Do you advise I call the employer ASAP and declare it? I’m worried sick I will have my job offer revoked!!! Please help!!!

  117. Kevin. A says:

    Please contact the employer asap. Honesty is the best policy, however make sure you make the situation/ circumstances known. We have been painted with the same brush for a minor mistake (hardly a slap on the wrist!), but according to law, by not declaring, we are, ‘lying’. So yeah, just be honest. At least this way they can’t chat shit to you.

  118. Kevin. A says:

    I myself am 22 years old. A few months ago I was arrested for the possession of a class A drug.

    It was a weekend and I was just having some fun with friends, in no way was it a deliberate antisocial act of disregard. I understand action had to be taken against me and I did not refute and so duly admitted to possession.

    I have never had any run ins with the law and my status in society has always been decent. I have recently started a masters in pharmacy and clearly after having this ‘stain’ I will not be able to work in this profession without major difficulties. I’m not sure whether I should just quit as I am now branded pretty much as a incompetent criminal.

    For the first time in my life I have accomplished something worthy of being functional in society. I was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, one of the officers himself agreed. By the time i would have completed my masters it would be more than adequate to have this misdemeanour erased within a period of time (an actual slap on the wrist!). But to no avail, and it shall remain forever.

    What do I do now? Should I just call it a day and say my life is over. Is there a point in trying any more? This has severely reduced my motivation and I am prone to stress related illness; on top of having an immunodeficiency disorder.

    What do we do? Is there a petition to sign? How do we go about amending this?

    I have read about a website called thunderclap which indicates that once a number of people have signed up to the cause it will be broadcasted accordingly. If we can do this and get a substantial amount of people to do so will it be plausible to then make people aware of this petition??

  119. Roxy700 says:

    Please refer to a campaign called Wipe the Slate Clean. http://www.wipetheslateclean.org.uk/about-us/

    There has also been a recent case in the European Court of Human Rights about a lady who was appealing a job rejection due to her caution. She was successful in her case. I have posted a link here. The judge’s ruling can be found here too.

    http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2012/11/15/retention-and-disclosure-of-police-caution-data-infringe-article-8-charles-bourne/

    The biggest problem we have is that there will be occasional campaigns on this subject but publicising this injustice to those affected so that they can sign up is hit and miss and those with cautions tend to want to avoid disclosing it to others – so are not likely to publicise it widely themselves! Piggy-backing on existing campaigns like Wipe the Slate Clean is probably the best we can hope for currently, unless others are prepared to take potential employers to court like the lady in the case mentioned above.

  120. Nathan says:

    5. Years ago as a school boy i was arrested for removing sum1 frm my nans house, i cannot remember what acutally happened, i applied for a support workers position, i recieved my crb yesterday and horrified to find a caution on there for common assault, at the time if arrested i remember the officer saying i was to be given a warning, i wasnt aware this ment i would be recieving a caution, now im dead worried about the company withdrawing my application due to this, my career is ruined it happened wen i was 16 and now 21, im hoping theyl see it was just a stupid mistake.

  121. Alan Wong says:

    I had an argument with my wife. I did not want to listen to her complaint and wanted to get out. My wife did not want me to leave and stood in front of the door. I then had some body conflict with her including a slap on her arm. She did not phone the police, but a helpline. The helpline people asked to talk to me and asked me for address and name. I was really angry with my wife exaggerating my fault and told everything to the helpline people. My wife realized it would cause trouble and grabbed the phone and switched off it before I could finish. After a while two policemen came. They asked us what happened. One police asked my wife to authorise him to arrest me. My wife said no. He persuaded my wife to do that by saying that he had to take me to the police station to investigate and it would not do any harm to me and I would come home soon. I was taken to the police station and told them everything ( I did not realize that the slapping constitutes an offence and our relationship was not broken, we still stay together). I was given a simple caution and I accepted it without fully understanding the after effects.
    It has brought me a lot of trouble. A simple caution has nothing to do with SIMPLE.

  122. Roxy700 says:

    See attached article in connection with an impending decision by Lord Dyson to restrict disclosure of minor offences committed as a minor when applying for jobs/college. It is perhaps a start.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9827982/The-lives-blighted-by-CRB-checks.html

  123. Pindz says:

    Totally agree with this. I was reprimanded for theft when I was friends with the “wrong crowd”. I now want to be a solicitor and it is just not possible as the SRA won’t touch me with a bargepole. I am doing a law degree but I have no idea now what I can do to be accepted onto the SRA and whether it is really worth it!

  124. Rebecca says:

    How are the government suppose to rehabilitate people from committing other crimes if employers are getting access to confidential information which stops people getting jobs to better themselves. If a person commits a serious crime then they will be convicted not cautioned. So why cautions appearing on CRB checks? People on barred list will stop people getting jobs in certain employment which they are not allowed anyway. Allowing cautions on CRB are breach of that individual confidentiality and stops rehilibibtilation process!

  125. sunshinegirl says:

    I was 15 coming up for 16 and it was basically a bad choice of a friend at that time who shoplifted when I was with her – I was aware that she done it which was the mistake on my part. The police told us that if we promise to stay out of trouble and accept the caution nothing will come of it and my mum rang up to confirm that this will not affect me in the future and they said it would not ever need to be mentioned. So basically the police are bullying and lying people into cautions from the sound of it.

    • bungle says:

      Its well known the police use cautions as a tool of effectively having crimes solved without the use of expensive court action which will in more cases than not fail.

      Most law abiding people will capitulate at the thought of being arrested and “taken down the station” when given the assurance of a easy caution that the police often quote as being a slap on the wrist with no long term damage.

      They have effectively criminalised many people who really should not have recieved cautions

  126. JShewlett says:

    I was once accused and arrested for child abuse. It was a truely horrible situation. My accuser was my brothers parters mother. She told the police that my brothers 3 year old little girl had told her that I had done something inappropriate. I spent a month away from my own child while on remand in a local jail and then in a criminal hostel over a hundred miles from my home. When it came to a magistrates court hearing the CPS dropped the case because the child did not repeat the accusation to anyone. Now I’m not sure why this woman would want to accuse me of this horrendous thing because i didn’t know her. I think I had only seen her a few time and never spoken to her. The little girl is now grown up and is doing fine dispite the ordeal she must have gone through for various test to find DNA evidence (they found nothing) they said at the time that there was internal evidence of damage but the hymen was intact. That last sentence will give you an idea of how serious this accusation was. All these years later and I still find it hard to cope with. I’m working a low wage job now and always have because I fear people finding out that I have this horrible thing on my record. I am very angry and bitter that my life has been so restricted by this.

  127. AftabAhmed says:

    I think caution should remove after 2 months

  128. Sarah Johnson says:

    The thing about all these comments what i recognise is that people are scared of applying for jobs because of there cautiojn.what i would advise is apply,and be honest that is the main thing everyone understands that people make mistakes but its about showing that you are no longer that same person and you recognise the mistake you made,after all you got a caution for a reason take responsibilty and be honest that is the best way,i have two cautions a reprimand and final warning, i have volunteered with social services and got onto a psychology course, i am now applying for teaching.if you let it ruin your life it will.honesty is always the best policy.one more thing for definate these cautions are permanent on your record,obviously the longer ago it was the better chance you have of explaining how you are reformed and i would say this needs to be 5 years at least.A reprimand and final warning are the equivalent of cautions but given to juviniles-cautions are majortly given to adults.

  129. Ali says:

    Many years ago I was in a very abusive relationship and twice had to defend myself against my boyfriend. Both times he called the police and told them I was abusing him. I told the police that it was in self-defence but they did not seem to care. They locked me up in a cell for hours and hours, I was terrified and terribly sad and confused over the betrayal of my boyfriend. The police told me to accept a caution on both occasions and told me it would not in anyway influence my life, even though I told them I worked with children. They said that in any event it would be gone in 5 years max. Otherwise, they said, I would have to go to court and risk prison time for common assault. As my 18 hours in the cell had been the most horrible time of my life and fearing that I could possibly end up in prison I took the cautions both times. Thankfully I am no longer with this boyfriend and this sort of this can never happen to me again… but still I don’t understand what the police would have me do when he grabbed me an forced me to the floor… how was I supposed to get away from him without hitting him??? Sometimes you have to hit someone to protect yourself. Now I fear that I will have to discuss this humiliation with all future employers. THE POLICE LIED TO ME AND THE CAUTION WAS GIVEN TO ME WITH FALSE INFORMATION. Is this not an illegal act? Why is the government getting away with this? And also what is wrong with these idiotic employers who cannot look at these cautions with an attitude of understanding? Even if someone punches someone on some drunken night
    or gets into some silly brawl, why do these employers even care? If it was me doing the interviews I wouldn’t care. But there seems to be a lack of education as to what common assault even means… people seem to think you smashed someone’s face in with a bottle or something…

    But anyway, I am also now looking for better paid and more permanent work and have come up against this problem. What the hell am I supposed to do now!!!

    There must be some way to stop this issue as many people seem to have been given these cautions under false pretences.

  130. Anon says:

    Injustice

    My partner had been having an affair since nov and I had ideas who was ..4 weeks ago he ended it with her she started harassing me at my house in the car and i reported it to police …she got my phone number abusive calls and texts I changed my number.. she wasn’t happy he chose stay with me…even knew where my kids were in school what looked like… we went out last week and short story she was in a place i was taunting me and i grabbed her hair.. We ended up in a brawl.. Which I know I shouldn’t have done… Just tell her leave me alone
    She reported me to police and 6am yesteday was in police cell and convicted with a caution of assault and just got sacked from my job because of it!! They had no choice even though I was a clean character… One mistake because of two other people has cost me a career I worked hard for 3 years…

  131. E Hardman says:

    I was living and working in a Catholic institution for several years and had bee thinking about a vocation within the Church. An older woman who also lived in the institution and who had been a good friend had been pestering to know why I didn’t want to get married as I was young and good looking. She seemed down to earth and friendly so I told her that I was gay. Her attitude towards me changed completely and she went out of her way to cause problems for me at every opportunity. It was common knowledge that she hated me and why she hated me. It was a Christian house so I continued to make every effort to get on with her. After several years I walked past the kitchen and heard her complaining to someone about me being gay. I went in and challenged her about what she was saying. She completely lost the plot and started screaming at me “YOU ARE A HOMOSEXUAL” over and over again. The nun she was talking to suddenly demanded to know if this was true. I was so annoyed I just flipped out and pushed a piece of fruit across the worktop which hit her on the hip very lightly. I left the room This was all at about 9 in the morning. The next day she went to the police and reported me to the police for assault. I was arrested and although the police tried to get her to drop the charges she refused and wanted it to go to the magistrates court. The police advised me that if I accepted a caution it would bring it to an end and would only be on my record for a couple of years. I accepted the caution, but lost my home and my job. No two years on the caution for common assault is there for any of the enhanced CRB jobs I want to apply for and I find myself being turned down for jobs or unable to apply for jobs that I’m more than qualified to do. That caution pretty much ended any chance of a career. My life has come to a complete stop. I feel pretty much at my wits end and see no way of getting out of this dead end. I’m pretty much hate my life.

  132. Human says:

    My fellow citizens soon we will finally be free from this messed up system as it was reported on the news that the Home office is establishing legislative measures permits our convictions to be wipe clean. It is a nice feeling to know that we will soon be treated as humans who might have made mistakes either through commiting a minor offense or of accepting a caution under highly stressful condition. Christ is my witness that I prayed to God and fasted a lot concerning this issue and He has now answered my prayers.Praise the God of my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.God bles you all and celebrate our Victoty. Amen. Sorry for the earlier posts I posted by accident.

  133. Darren Forbs says:

    I have received a caution when I was 16. I have graduated a year ago. I now declare my caution and I am jobless. I obtained my BSc degree in Nursing but cannot get a job because of this ONE caution.

    1) I still have to pay my student loan.
    2) I have no job.
    3) I am forced to claim benefits.

    What I should be doing is helping patients/community live healthier lives and working for the NHS.

    But… INSTEAD I AM CLAIMING BENEFITS after completing my 3 year degree. HOME OFFICE PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

  134. Roxy700 says:

    I do hope you’re all signing the petition on http://www.change.org on this issue? Whilst the recent court ruling about uncessary disclosure of old/minor cautions being a breach of privacy/right to private life in January is encouraging, the govt plans to appeal it. I personally won’t believe in any meaningful new restriction as to what is revealed within a crb check until I see the full details of any new laws – assuming the govt doesn’t win their appeal!! So, in the meantime – PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION : http://www.change.org/petitions/u-k-government-clear-cautions-from-enhanced-crb-checks-after-two-years

  135. ADEL says:

    Cautions should be removed! I accepted it after an argument with my partner where I slaped her after she got mad to calm her down …
    after asking the pc how long does it last for ? he said I am not sure but will go probably 3 years I am innocent and still live with my partner and my two kids but they ruind my career I ll give any thing to remove it from my crb .
    I shuldn’t ve accepted a bxxxx caution!

  136. steph says:

    Oh my goodness. This is just insanely depressing and very sad. I have a Simple Caution, given because I was told that restraining my mentally ill son from harming himself amounted to common assault. Briefly, I was arrested in the chaos, kicked and verbally abused by a really nasty policeman. The policeman accused me of assaulting him but at the station they said it was ridiculous and dropped the accusation. I was grateful at the time but realise now that the police were just trying to make the caution they gave me seem like an easy way out. They made it seem like they were agreeing with me about the abusive policeman but that a caution for restraining my son was necessary to avoid going to court. I wish I had gone to court. I would have told them how crazy it was that a middle aged mother, volunteer and carer for many years for various relatives and employers, with no criminal record, was now facing long term unemployment or poorly paid work. I advise anyone to make sure they get advice when arrested, accept help but DO NOT trust the police until you are sure about your rights. DO NOT let them tell you that a Simple Caution will not affect your job or life. Be strong and don’t let the b*****ds get you down! Seriously though, the police had helped me with my son in the past but this last incident has crushed me. So unfair. When I regain my strength, I will try to take this to my MP. To anyone in a similar situation, chin up and stay positive:)

  137. Darren Forbs says:

    We finally made it!!! Thank you Home Office.

    As you all know about the changes in the legislations on 29 April 2013, minor cautions and convictions are no longer visible on CRB forms including Enhanced Disclosures.

    Thank you to all that signed the petition.

    Happy Days!!

    • bungle says:

      not good enough, they need to be wiped off computer systems and your record after a set amount of time

    • bubbles says:

      Darren,

      Where can I find this legislation. I’ve been trying to look for it all over the net but find nothing.

    • Danny says:

      Hi Darren

      A long time since your message was posted, I resently got a caution for theft.
      Basically Got extremely drunk at a Christmas party, went to off licence when walking home, out of my mind on alcohol, and took a chocolate bar after CCTV later revealed when speaking to police.
      I said I didn’t remember, as I way clueless from the drink but CCTV obviously proves I had done so.
      I was pressured into admittance. I did so. They automatically cautioned me, I accepted as I felt terrible.
      I’m certainatly not an argumentative and wanted out of that cell I had to sit in for 5 hours.
      not realising my newly studied engineering career I had been studying hard working towards costing over 20k in debt to get to a qualified state to be put in a position where I’m scared any interview I take will affect my chances of a successful job offer.
      With the legislation change you’ve presented and well done for your efforts it’s so amazing what you’ve done….does that mean mine will show on a check?.??
      Please help

  138. ahlam says:

    Hi for me never I believe what happened to me my husband and his call his girlfriend 100 time in het land line and sent to her with my mobile phone treatned text message because I said to him don t bring your girlfriend to our matrimonial home then him and her went to the police and his girlfriend say to them that I want to kill her never in my life I enter to the police station where they treated me like criminal photo and etc and also court after court finally I was sick and my own baristet said to me say guilty or you go to jail 6 months respectafull girl and cotrect girl when I listened jail I was scred and I say to my sollicitor iam notr and I asked him you defend me ohis girlfriend and I received big pression for my sollicitor and I was crying when I said iam guilty and only god know that so same I had harssement without violence 2 years o wad teacher and now I work any work that happened to me because I asked my husband why you married with me if you like this women and he hit me and pushing me and after calling police I had domestic violence
    Y husband and his girlfriend revenge me to make fault allegation against me

  139. jules says:

    Hi,

    I am single, have 5 children, eldest autistic and just completed an HND (I’m his carer), Next child has just started a degree in criminal psychology and 2 at secondary and youngest at primary. I work part-time and left my 2 youngest with a babysitter. The babysitter left the kids home alone believing one of the older children was upstairs with them – all week this had been the case. An urgent phone call from his ageing father was the reason he left them but when a courier knocked my youngest answered the door and realising my children had no supervision called the police.

    All this was explained to the police but I was arrested for abandonment, cruelty and neglect. The house was chaotic because we were decorating and the house is small. The garden was tidy and our small dog and two cats were well cared for. They carried out a medical on my children finding no concerns, but that’s a different issue, so I can’t believe how the police have jumped to this conclusion. The Social Services said I could have my children back that night but the police said no. I had no contact with the children, the babysitter (best friend) and my partner. (don’t live with him but luckily he was allowed to look after the children). I was called by a police officer 4 1/2 days later saying if I accepted a caution I could have immediate supervised contact and have my children back with me after I had signed the caution two days later.

    I thought it was a slap on the wrist and had it drummed into me that the children’s care is my sole responsibility and if the babysitter left then telepathically I should have known and there was no other way unless I waited 2 months till the court case. I had to get my children back home and the guilt they made me feel was heart wrenching.

    I have since been bombarded by social services. They made my second youngest go back to school as I was home schooling him and they had issues. When he went back they found he was up to date with his studies and even knew things that are being taught this year. The education authority had no issue with me home schooling him. I find I have no control over my younger children anymore. Surely everyone’s goal is the same and the end product is the children are safe, healthy and well rounded. Proof that I am quite capable as I have the 2 older children as proof.
    I am seeking advice from C.A.B. as this just doesn’t effect me but my children, friends and close family too.

  140. Ben says:

    Get this… I was a successful teacher – deputy head in charge of pupils with behaviour / emotional issues. Had a pupil who developed a crush on me. Heard rumours that she had spread. Reported to CP officer at school. I refused to work with her. Pupil in Year 11 and left school two months later. I had reason to phone girls mum. Pupil obtained my number from mum. Now ex-pupil bombards me with texts over summer holiday after she left school claiming to be trying to commit suicide / leaving home / taking drugs etc… Reported to girls mum straight away and school / CP upon return in September by myself. February following year suspended from school and told I am being investigated for having inappropriate contact with an ex-pupil. Girl claimed to have met me once during summer holiday (never happened – I was away on holiday) and we slept together… Full on witch hunt ensues. All her friends who are now ex-pupils called in and give statements to support her, current pupils in school also interviewed!!! So private investigation and rumours now main talking point throughout school. School didn’t support me in any way. Instead pressure to resign or ‘the press might get wind of your allegation’…… Resigned.

    – Ex pupil over 16.
    – Allegation after she had left school and not said to have taken place whilst a pupil.
    – Not child protection or a police matter.
    – No evidence to back up claims or texts etc.
    – Independently investigated by the ISA and GTC and cleared of any wrong-doing.

    YET – the mere fact that this allegation was made – and remember – I didn’t even speak to or meet a police officer over this matter….. IT STILL APPEARS AS AN ALLEGATION ON MY CRB/DBS.

    – So that’s it. Career over. Started another teaching job two years after allegation and being cleared – explained whole situation to new school. Head-teacher fantastic and understanding – gave me the job. CRB came through – sent to LEA and the next thing I know I’m fired.

    Just applied for a role in Recruiting teachers for schools and have now been asked to supply a CRB for a desk job that involves no sole contact with children or vulnerable groups. So that’ll be me fired again then.

    This whole system is Big Brother gone mad. I haven’t been cautioned, arrested, reprimanded and have never had reason to speak to a police officer yet this CRB certificate makes it look like I’m a sex offender. Seriously just feel like jumping off a cliff.

  141. MJ says:

    Ben, my sympathy goes out to you – what you’ve been put through is awful. My experience differs to yours in that (I regret to say) I did commit an offence – 6 years ago I got involved in an altercation between a group of young men and my sister while on a night out. My actions were stupid – a knee-jerk reaction to an intimidating situation – and I received a caution for assault (despite the fact that my sister had been assaulted and my boyfriend at the time – now my husband – was beaten up by the same group of boys).

    I accepted a caution through fear, having been kept at the police station for hours (the whole time not knowing where my partner was or what sort of state he was in). I was so upset by the whole incident and so frightened by actually being at the police station in the first place (I had never had any involvement with the police before this) that by that point I would have sold my soul to the devil just to get out of there. I was repeatedly told by the police that accepting the caution was ‘a slap on the wrist’ and was told that it would be removed from my record in 5 years (a lie, as I am since aware). I was also assured that it wouldn’t impact upon my career (like you, I was also a teacher).

    Since then, I have had one job – a job that was short-lived due to school closure. The head teacher at the school was supportive, but – despite telling me that I was doing a good job in my role – admitted that had they known of the caution earlier, I wouldn’t have got the job.

    The local press obviously felt that my punishment hadn’t been great enough, so – despite it coming to their attention eighteen months after the incident – I was dragged through a ‘trial by media': yet another painful and embarrassing experience for my family and for me.

    I committed a crime and I deserved to be punished for it. However, almost 6 years on, this caution has left me with a ruined career, qualifications that are now completely worthless, no future prospects and absolutely no self-confidence. As if this wasn’t enough, I have recently found out that I have fertility issues. Should I want to adopt a child, a CRB check will inevitably put an instant stop to it. The thought that one stupid moment has not only stripped me of a career I worked so long and hard for, but might also prevent my husband and me from having a family is unbearable.

    Surely the punishment now far outweighs the crime?

    How often do we read in the papers of ‘career criminals’ who have 10 or 15 convictions and have managed to avoid a custodial sentence? Yet otherwise good people who make one mistake (as we mere mortals do, in one form or another) find their entire lives caving in on them.

    I have very many days when I feel as you do, Ben (far more than I let on to my family, as I don’t want them to have to keep reliving this as I do). I feel completely demoralised and worthless – at times, I feel my life no longer serves any purpose. If a person breaks the law they deserve to face the consequences of their actions, but where is the common sense in the extent to which some punishments are being stretched?

    I wish you all the best and I hope that you find some justice soon. In your case, it is ludicrous that you cannot get a job – you were cleared and should therefore be alleviated of any associations attached to the allegation. Perhaps it would be worth you seeking legal advice for this. Best of luck.

  142. md roddis says:

    mr
    12 yrs ago i had allegation made against me i was cautions but after 6 weeks had it overturned i lost my kids then spent one year clearing my name which i did ive never seen any evidence to back up clams i even had i have crb check to have my daughters back which came back clear but now in 2013 i found social services until have records of it on file even though i be police check many times so even if the caution overturn it still remains on file even to rhis day my still have question marks even though through courts in was cleared and able to be dad again so my answer is how u can solve this matter

  143. Curt says:

    I was charged with common assault for knocking a mobile phone out of my ex partners hand she told the police a pack of lies so I went for a trial too prove this was a pack of lies minutes before the trial was due too start the ex decided all I had done was knock the phone out of her hand because I had admitted this too the police in a statement it has now ruined my life my ex had cheated on me and was just used for money. I have since heard of stories that do warrent a charge I.e knocking a women down a stairs went too court wasn’t charged another case a man had punched a women in the face again not charged yet I knocked a phone out of a hand as I tried grabbing it its a joke ! The cps have no common sense and neither do the courts the allegations my ex had against me if I had done them then would warrent a case but I wanted a trial too prove my innocence my solicitor told me the outcome in court would just be same in any case my ex wanted too ruin my life so why drop more serious allegations the day of the trial I feel that if the truth was told in the first place at the police station by my ex and that all I had done was try grab the phone out of my ex partners hand but dropped on the floor would it of actually gone too court cps felt there was a case when actually I was innocent and I wanted a fair trial too prove this surely if a case has gone as far as going too trial why can statements allegations be thrown out the day of the trial I was kinda looking forward too proving the ex had lied in her statements yet she would not appear before a trial yet I was charged anyway and now I can’t get work I am no danger too anyone never done anything wrong too anyone !

  144. Linda says:

    This country is corrupt the police are corrupt thsy are liars and are incompetent. Just as in the states they are spying on people and collecting our data. they want people on the dole so that they can make them work for their benefits and get cheap labour to support the banks and corporations that sponser them. they seek to criminalise and marginalise the working classesn and individuals wih a mind of their own, they see us a s a threat in numbers a threat to their plans of world domination. People above you are not evil you are human and the human race as David ikcke says.. need to get off our knees and rise up in unity. You may think that the plight of the black people has nothing to do with you, but we are slowly and surely being enslaved mentality and financially. Nelson Mandela did 20 odd years in prison by fighting oppressive power structures and was classed and branded a terrorist for his actions later to be released and become president of the same establishment, we can win people ! The people that have branded you seend armies to murder women and children for oil and land, rise up people I said ARISE!!

  145. Linda Brown says:

    Dont jump, stand up and fight this experience could catapult you into a much brighter future that you have ever imagined.selp employment tutoring lobbying be the change!!1

  146. asgh says:

    “Message : offene; Solicit another for the purpose of obtaining their sexual services as a prostitute in a street/public place. contrary to section 51 A of the sexual offences act 2003 This was the caution given by police to me on 09/07/2013 they took my DNA, figure print and photograph as well. it will ruined my life and my future.my employer do vetting next year and they will find out and they will dismiss me as well i cant apply for nhs jobs.all doors are closed now. i dont want to live any more because if any one find about this i can’t explain how bad is it for me.please please help me.i never done any crime in my life thats the first time i can do anything to remove myself from this.Thanks”

  147. asgh says:

    police will never tell you how it will affect your

    they will only say its a warning so they can avoid the process

  148. singh says:

    My son applied for his SIA badge and has two cautions that have been dated wrong on his CRB which makes it look like there were two separate incidents one day after the other when it was one complete incident, again he was sold the second caution by the police on the understanding that if he paid for the damage it would not stand and not go to court so he agreed….now he has been refused his SIA badge because of the cautions after a CRB check and says to me what’s the difference between having a caution or having a criminal record…….NONE !!!!
    Yet we have prisoners trained for employment and employers employing them because of qualifications they gained within prison with criminal records…….and all of you with cautions are having your careers and lives wrecked……where’s the justice !!!!!

  149. 123321 says:

    I have recently graduated and was caught shoplifting. I have never been in trouble before and I’m a complete mess. I feel like my life is ruined and wasted. I am so ashamed for what I’ve done and I don’t think it’s fair that I am going to be punished for the rest of my life. I have learnt my lesson and would do anything to clear this caution. I’m worried sick I’ve had suicidal thoughts.

  150. Jessica Stevens says:

    My partner has just had a crb check done by social services. never been found guilty but he not allowed to see me or my daughter but he can see his real daughter don’t anyone think that is strange can I appeal against this and fight to see him ? X

  151. shelley says:

    I was with a guy for 3 years, he always told me he loved me and that we wouldn’t break up because if you love someone you make it work. We could never work out a time when we were both free and just a couple days ago he said we should just be friends. I know he don’t me love anymore. When we were dating he said to everyone that I was his girlfriend and introduced me, told his friends he really liked me and told me he loved me, I wanted to be with him again but I never knew what to do. I tried for a long time with other spell casters to get him back but [email protected] was the ONLY spell caster that could do the love spell for me that worked, if you need help contact him today he will always come to your aid, Obviously great zalilu is the REAL DEAL!

  152. H.K says:

    I agree…cautions should be totally removed off records as its destroying individuals future ambitions and careers. It is stated as something very minor..but what i dont understand is. If it is something so minor then why is it on your record for life? Stupid laws..destroying a persons life over something very minor. This law seriously needs to change. The police always end up losing major criminals, but when it comes to minor offences like driving in a car park without a license or getting into fights… Its straight into a cell where you are literally forced to sign to agree to a caution to be released.Iv seriously had enough. Atleast try to distinguish between a mistake and a bloody crime!!!

  153. david miller says:

    I am in the same boat as you i was CAUTIONED for BATTERY after my ex partner reported me for assulting her and i did not know a caution went i accepted that i had done this ………… Even though we went court at a later date and the children live with me now this CAUTION has ruined my job chances they neeed to be a way to get it removed as a CAUTION ust to be a slap on the wrist dont do it again thing not a crimal record foreva for some thing that is not even a charge

  154. Richard Drew says:

    All cautions should be removed, irrespective of the offence for which they are given! A caution should act as a deterrent, not as a tool to edge a potentially productive member of society to edge into a life of crime. The recent changes to the filtering regime are a start but frankly do not go far enough.

  155. Chris says:

    I was subjected to a malicious allegation while managing an office. A girl we had taken on a 3 month trial made a allegation of sexual touching when she knew I was going terminate her trial period. I was interviewed by the Police who agreed it was malicious and no further action was taken. However it still appears on my CRB even though I wasn’t cautioned or charged. It’s mighty embarrassing having to explain this everytime I have to go through a CRB. I am 51 years old now and apart from that there is nothing else on my record.

  156. Kausar jabbar says:

    Hi everyone,
    I agree with and empathise with all people who have suffered with cautions. I think a petition should be sought and carried through to Downing st to have this silly ruling removed ( where it’s stated on Crb you have a caution – for life in this case. )

  157. Gary Dorrington says:

    I’m a sixty year old man who received a caution for common assault for defending myself like a lot of people on here its the only time I’ve ever been in trouble.
    I’ve read that a women in northern ireland took the british government to the european court of human rights on this matter where they ruled it was a violation of her human rights and have ordered the government to take action the government have launched an appeal but have not entered anything yet to the court,

  158. Gary Dorrington says:

    there should be a lobby group for this as I think many of us have been sold the caution, which means that the police are not being totaly honest with us when telling us they are just a slap on the wrist. had all of us known better we would all have elected to go to court to clear our name’s but they frightern you into accepting the caution knowning full well that have we have never been in trouble before they can trick you.

  159. Gary Dorrington says:

    before you accept the caution you should be told to seek legal advice from an independent lawyer who can look at your case and advise you as to what cause of action is open to you if he agree’s that a caution should be accepted then by all mean’s follow what he say’s however if he thinks that you have a good chance in court of clearing your name then again follow his advice the problem is many of us are faced with this alone.

  160. leanne says:

    Me and my partner were having a domestic when she spat in my face, I then slapped her up her face and I was caught by an undercover set inspector who arrested me on the spot, I received a caution, and because I work in care, this is an issue and I’m worried for my future career that I’m working hard for, like many people, I was told that a caution is a formal warning but I’m being treated like a convict

  161. Karen says:

    I am a 60 year old woman. I was attacked by an off duty female Police Support Officer
    I was injured. She had no injuries but claimed my self defence was an attack on her. I was tricked into accepting a Police Caution. I had no previous convictions for anything.

    I want to take my case to the European Court of Human Rights so would like anyone in a similar situation to make contact with me.

  162. Karen says:

    Further to my previous posting.

    Home Office police guidelines state that the police must explain the implications of a Police Caution.

    In my case this was circumvented by the Duty Solicitor being the one who suggested the Police Caution.

    First of all, although she was recommending a plea of self defence, she backed up the contention of the police that I would not win the case if it went to court.

    Then she said that, as a special favour, because of my age and because I had no previous convictions, the police were prepared to offer me a Police Caution as long as I withdrew my plea of self defence and made a statement to that effect immediately. I asked the Duty Solicitor over and over again if there would be any repercussions and she said each time there would not be. I have since discovered from the Legal Ombudsman that there is no requirement for a solicitor to explain the implications of a Police Caution and the police say it is not their fault.

  163. Max says:

    Would a name change by deed poll rectify the problem if not stated on the CRB forms? but then the NI number would remain the same and not goving name change info on the CRB form would in itself be a crime I believe right?

    Food for thought…

    Or work abroad instead ?

  164. Khan says:

    I agree that these cautions should be removed after 5 years for under 18 and 10 years for adult as this will be fair justice.

    • Summer says:

      5 years 10 years ??? Are you kidding me ? I’m 34 years old I got caution last year I can’t get the job because of my simple caution well then Whti your agreement I have to get 44 to go to work??!?!

      I believe it could be fair if anyone have only one caution should be removed ,,,we are all human and no one is perfect ,, we all need to have one chance for forgiveness,not being treating like a real criminal.

  165. Bobby says:

    I absolutely agree that cautions should be removed from CRB checks. Receiving a caution for what you did is completely unfair not to mention that this black mark sticks with you for the rest of your life. The police can be very good in tricking people into signing these written confessions because they know that very often they stand no chance in winning if this case was to go to court.

  166. Latifa says:

    Hi everybody my caution to have crb check with harasment without violence because I was married to mad man who is violence and brought his girlfriend to our home and they want me to be like a stone I see everything front of my eyes they have relationship kissing her touching her and I have to accept that after when he bite me I call the police and after that they arrange together to play with my phone and to stick to me this harasment the barrister he was very bad in the court because he knew that I arrive recently to uk and I don t know not yet the law here then he pushing me and scaring me say you are guilty or you go to the prison Iam alone here never in my life I enter to the police station or the court until I married this bad ex husband I saw with him measurable life because of one question why you married with me if you want to be with this woman and they attaqued me still I suffer cause this crb I swear by god I was innocent and I was arabic teacher her cause them my school said to me sorry your crb came with harasment without violence and now Iam cleaner they ask me for crb what I can do how I can pay my rent my bills my food so is so bad that this crb stick the innocent people and we have to think even if the person did mistake before you have to open the doors to him not to close them and let this person suffer the change have to be done for good not for bad we have to change this crb check and when the charge finish crb have to be clear not to follow this person all his life so we need a good solution for that bye and we try to help the people who they suffer not to added sufferance to theire sufferance bye

  167. Andy Cowen says:

    Duped into receiving caution as so many above – first such incident at 55 yrs old involving the police . Why oh why are the police allowed to be soooo deceitful & sly with members of the public who never normally “cross the line” and hence are not aware of “procedures” ;-)whereas the Real Villains just treat those upstanding & virtuous upholders of Law & Order with complete and utter contempt and walk away laughing/free.

  168. JammyJim says:

    I’m a qualified Radiographer, I worked incredibly hard towards my career. I loved the job, I loved my patients.

    I took it further, I specialised in ultrasound, completing my masters which lead to great jobs abroad.

    It was here I was bullied out of my dream job, people jealous of my enthusiasm. I started drinking heavily on my return. during this bout of depression I took a bottle of wine from a shop whilst drunk and received a caution.

    My career is over, regardless of my commitment to my profession. It was a mistake to take the bottle of wine, yes. I don’t shrug the responsibility of the action. But In my view the consequences of thieving the wine far out way my potential skills to society. This is why I find this caution unjust, and it eats me alive. It has left me suicidal, there’s not a day goes past now I don’t regret that day I took the wine, I struggle to live with that action on a daily basis. I do not see a future for myself.

  169. Dale Adams says:

    After I broke up with a long-term partner, things got a big messy at a party held by the university we both attended.
    About a month later, the police arrived at my flat, arresting me on the allegations of ABH and Harassment.
    Completely terrified, squeaky-clean, polite and educated acting graduate, I saw light when a “kind” police officer told me I’m likely to get a caution (this seemed like a second chance, I was scared by whole experience as it was, and I vowed to never commit the crimes again)
    What my issue is here, and I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way, a caution was described to me as a “slap on the wrist”. I was a “first time offender” and for admitting I’d done wrong and shown remorse, no true damage was done, I’d be able to learn from the experience and be expected to not reoffend again.
    Then a year on, I get an overseas job on a cruise ship. It had been a slow year for auditions and this change in scenery was exactly what I needed to feel confident in myself and my profession.
    Of course then, I had to send the police check to them, and what was on there. A caution.
    I get a phone call from my agent who drops the bombshell that I can’t go away to work, and on top of that drops me because of it.
    I’ve had a huge setback in life because I was fooled by police into thinking I had a chance to prove I was a good citizen, but no, now I feel like if I ever want to apply for a job, I won’t get it because apparently I’m “dangerous”.
    I am disgusted at the fact that there is nothing you can do about appealing against them, and the fact they are permanent.
    And this ridiculous statement that they are seen by employers in light of the fact of how long ago you offended – I’m sorry, but a lot of respected professions will look down on you with even a sniff of a criminal background.
    The police are sharks and I don’t think I will ever trust, let alone respect them again.

    • Dale Adams says:

      And the thing that makes me laugh even more is the moment I found out in couldn’t persue my ambitions because of a malicious prosecution from another person, my first thought was to commit my crime again. Of course I haven’t and I won’t because I’m not a criminal!!!

  170. Gary Dorrington says:

    It was good to see that melanie sykes had her caution removed for common assault,so it’s not true when your told you cannot appeal a police caution you can, so if you feel that you have not been treated fairly or you were forced into accepting the caution seek legal advice there are firms out there who can help and offer advice after looking at your case, remember we did accept it to begin with but if like me you were forced to accept it. in my case I refused the caution the police then contacted the solicitor who attended the police station with me and he spent 40 minutes on the phone convincing me to accept the caution he wore me down and now though his actions I lost my job.

  171. Gary Dorrington says:

    So be careful there are some cowboy solicitors out there who are only interested in the legal aid payments they still get when called to attend an interview at a police station, and if you feel you do not want to accept the caution then don’t be swayed by a solicitor.
    my one did not even read the statement made by my accuser.

  172. Summer says:

    After I get caution last year 2013 on my birthday 27 December my life become like nightmare,,, I’m on 20 gram citalopram depression tablets ,,, no jobs ,, don’t trust anyone ,, no friends,, I don’t trust police are anymore they just unprofessional and good to say only alibi ,,, before my cautious I never being involved with police I never being any police station before ,,,I was Period on my birthday start work at 6:30 in the morning so tired and just wants to go home

  173. Brian says:

    A police caution is a black mark against your name and the police will use it against you if you ever get took in for questioning. I was accused of attempted theft from a slot machine in a seaside arcade whilst out with my 4 year old son. I was attacked in frint of my son by a number of staff and beaten up. I was arrested and my son took home in a police car, he was screaming. As you can imagine this caused so much stress to me, I was locked up for 8 hours and accepted a caution for attempted theft just to get out so I could go home to see my son. The police took no action whatsoever against staff who beat me even though witnesses at the time told them what happened.

    Anyway 2 years later I was in a pub drinking with some people I vaguely knew, they stole from a slot machine and were caught some months later, I was arrested too because I was there. Now I find myself locked up for hours again and the police bring the caution up saying oh you have a history of theft from slot machines so I get charged, end up in court and get a 12 month suspended sentence, my lawyer stated because I have the caution it says I have a history of theft/ similar offence and if I stick to not guilty and get found guilty I’d get a longer sentence. Panic took over and I admitted to receiving a pint and a packet of crisps from these guys, for this I got the suspended sentence and it’s ruined my life. Had a job opportunity in the USA but with record can’t even go there.

    Police and lawyers tell lies just to have a crime solved etc for their statistics.

  174. asghar says:

    Totally agree a small caution can ruin whole of your life

    • QM says:

      Mine is being ruined two years after. I was drunjk that my stupid crime that night and i missed my stop and tried to put the worng train ticket in the barrier and two hoodies grabbed me from behind and dragged me off saying i had to go with them they were police officers. I was so scared and alone and emotional that I lashed out i didnt who they were or where they were takin me! they bunlded me into a van drove me off somewhere i still wasnt sure they were the police. i was very frightened and scared. Eventually they took me to a station and formerly arrested me for fare evasion, assaulting a police officer and drunk & disorderly. I accepted after being locked up over 7 hours a spent simple caution and have tried to get on with my life. Everytime i think about it or talk about it i burst into tears the way i was treated, pushed an shoved then forced into accpeting the caution so i could go home. Now i am eligible for workplace screening and as they catergorise my caution as a vioent one i will forever have to disclose it now. This will affect the rest of my life and my work propects. For one shove out of fear and having a completely clean record for 41 years! This is absolutely disgraceful.

  175. mark jackson says:

    cautions are justice without any legal process
    my caution is so devastating on the victim that the victim of my caution is campaigning for its removal.
    yes you heard right the victim wants my caution removed and i have written documentation to present backing my case to anyone who’ll listen and a signed letter from the victim.would love to have my case heard in court .could be on benefits for the next three years effectively not working and removing a police officer from the streets for a whole year.In my case the police have done real criminals a favour .

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