Do I have a criminal record

coinxoperated

Pickle49 wrote: »

Wonder if any of you knowledgeable lot can help me....... I have been offered a new job, of which I am very excited about. At the moment, I have a formal offer of employment but it is dependant on a satisfactory reference from my current employer ( who is devastated that I'm leaving and is being very frosty towards me, I'm hoping that he will do the right thing and provide me with a good honest reference ) and a criminal records check.

I don't think I have a criminal record, but 30 years ago I skipped a train fare and got caught. I don't remember police being involved but a railway official said I had broken some railway byelaw and that I would get a letter with a court date. I got the letter sometime later saying that I could turn up at a particular magistrates court on a particular date and time or I could just pay a fine ( at the same magistrates court ) within 21 days or some other time scale like that. I obviously can't remember all the details as it was so long ago but I'm now really worried that if I don't declare it to my prospective new employers it will make me look like a liar if it shows up or am I alerting them to something that needs not to be brought to their attention.

This job involves working with the elderly so I believe that they are entitled to look into my background in this way. I know it all seems a bit ridiculous but I'm so worried that this job offer may be retracted and I have handed in my notice at work and don't want to be out of work as I have debts to pay ( that's another forum:) ). I know I made a good impression at the interview and I know they liked me ( they said so, it's not me being big headed ) but I feel like I'm in a permanent state of worry that my boss may be vindictive and write a not very good reference or that this criminal records check will throw a spanner in the works. I'm not normally a worrier but this has got my head in a spin.

Any advice ? ......please xx

To be blunt. Yes. You do.

When you work with vulnerable people / young children they undertake an enhanced DBS (New name for CRB). This shows up EVERYTHING.

I suggest you admit it to them asap as them finding out at a later date and you haven't declared will definately cut you out of the running.

Fire_Fox

I don't see why you can't just write down that you believe you were given a fixed penalty notice for not having a rail ticket in 1983, and you are unsure if this counts as criminal or not. All that shows is honesty, a fairly minor offence in the dim and distant past and an imperfect memory, none of which are going to lose you a job.

But agree never hand your notice in without an unconditional offer. My last enhanced CRB took months to come back ,there was a mistake on it.

Richard53

If I had a job candidate who mentioned the offence (with a brief explanation of the circumstances) when it was obviously very minor, I would be impressed with their honesty. Finding even a small thing that was not disclosed would put a small question mark in my mind.

But I'm almost certain that this will not be on your record, and that it would not count much against you if it was.

paulineb_2

coinxoperated wrote: »

To be blunt. Yes. You do.

When you work with vulnerable people / young children they undertake an enhanced DBS (New name for CRB). This shows up EVERYTHING.

I suggest you admit it to them asap as them finding out at a later date and you haven't declared will definately cut you out of the running.

They paid a fine 30 years ago, Im not sure thats the same as having a criminal record.