The Student Room Group

How will a police caution damage my future?

Hi guys, I recently received a simple caution for importing a weapon on the banned list (purchased a police baton online), the whole process has been really blown out proportion, had my family house searched and raided (with a warrant) by the police.

I am in University right now doing a Business degree hoping it will lead to a job in the Financial sector in the future.

I know some jobs e.g. accountancy sometimes do CRB checks. The police really downplayed the caution before I accepted it, saying an accountancy firm for instance would only deny me a job if the case was relevant to that job e.g. Fraud or Money Laundering.

Have I screwed up my future?
Reply 1
Original post by HennessyVSOP
Hi guys, I recently received a simple caution for importing a weapon on the banned list (purchased a police baton online), the whole process has been really blown out proportion, had my family house searched and raided (with a warrant) by the police.

I am in University right now doing a Business degree hoping it will lead to a job in the Financial sector in the future.

I know some jobs e.g. accountancy sometimes do CRB checks. The police really downplayed the caution before I accepted it, saying an accountancy firm for instance would only deny me a job if the case was relevant to that job e.g. Fraud or Money Laundering.

Have I screwed up my future?


Not at all. Don't worry about it. I know people who have FAR, FAR worse things in their backgrounds and have got great careers.

It was just a caution, it can only show up in an enhanced CRB. So any jobs that do an enhanced CRB need to have a good reason for it, working with children for example. The vast majority of jobs who do a CRB will just do the standard one, so your caution won't even show up.
Reply 2
Original post by Gordon1985
Not at all. Don't worry about it. I know people who have FAR, FAR worse things in their backgrounds and have got great careers.

It was just a caution, it can only show up in an enhanced CRB. So any jobs that do an enhanced CRB need to have a good reason for it, working with children for example. The vast majority of jobs who do a CRB will just do the standard one, so your caution won't even show up.



Thanks for your fast response.

Unfortunately cautions do show up on standard CRB checks.
'A Standard level CRB check will detail every conviction (including spent convictions), caution, warning and reprimand which is recorded in central records, or it will state that there is no such information held.'
I wouldn't worry about it. CRBs are generally carried out once a job offer has been made (or at least when the employer is already very keen to have you) so I don't think a caution about something as insignificant as that would have much sway if they already want to employ you.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by Rascacielos
I wouldn't worry about it. CRBs are generally carried out once a job offer has been made (or at least when the employer is already very keen to have you) so I don't think a caution about something as insignificant as that would have much sway if they already want to employ you.


Thanks for your response, I have been told this but in general a CRB coming back with an 'offensive weapon' case would be really off-putting for me personally as an employer.
Reply 5
Original post by HennessyVSOP
Thanks for your fast response.

Unfortunately cautions do show up on standard CRB checks.
'A Standard level CRB check will detail every conviction (including spent convictions), caution, warning and reprimand which is recorded in central records, or it will state that there is no such information held.'



Ah right. I was sure only convictions showed up. I still wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Like I said, I know people who have serious convictions and got jobs no bother because they were mistakes and employers recognised that their record didn't really say anything about the kind of person they were.

Won't the caution come off your record in a few years anyway?
Reply 6
Anybody else?
Reply 7
I am the only one wondering why you bought a police baton?
Original post by sabian92
I am the only one wondering why you bought a police baton?


Some take their fancy dress very seriously.
Reply 9
I doubt it will affect you at all if i'm honest as it's only a caution, you aren't a criminal hah
Reply 10
Original post by J_W-x
I doubt it will affect you at all if i'm honest as it's only a caution, you aren't a criminal hah


Thanks
Reply 11
Original post by HennessyVSOP
Hi guys, I recently received a simple caution for importing a weapon on the banned list (purchased a police baton online), the whole process has been really blown out proportion, had my family house searched and raided (with a warrant) by the police.

I am in University right now doing a Business degree hoping it will lead to a job in the Financial sector in the future.

I know some jobs e.g. accountancy sometimes do CRB checks. The police really downplayed the caution before I accepted it, saying an accountancy firm for instance would only deny me a job if the case was relevant to that job e.g. Fraud or Money Laundering.

Have I screwed up my future?


Hey Hennessy

I feel for you and know from personal experience how stressful this can be.

As general advice to anyone who is reading, if you get arrested never ever talk to the cops, either in transit to the cop shop or at the cop shop about the offense, have the duty solicitor with you before you speak to them, they will advise you on the best course of action.

The reason for this is that the police are not like the police of the past, where they might use a bit of common sense and clip you around the ear or whatever, these days it's all about targets and numbers, and getting you to 'hang yourself' with leading questions etc, so don't admit anything or say anything with which they can 'hang you' for. When you chat to them they are monitoring what you say and will write it in their notepad as evidence to be used against you, best thing is to stay quiet until you've spoken with the duty solicitor.

Sounds like they coerced you into accepting the caution, as it's a plus on their stats and less paperwork/follow up work if you had not accepted the caution.

As for your problem, cautions do expire and won't even show up on an enhanced DBS (formerly CRB). Might take between 5-10 years I don't know exactly how long tho.

I rec'd a caution for possession of cannabis about 20 years ago, I had an enhanced CRB about 2 years ago for a volunteer job and it was all clear.

Some offenses will never be expunged, the nasty serious stuff, here is a link

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-list-of-offences-that-will-never-be-filtered-from-a-criminal-record-check

You say you're moving into finance, I used to work in finance, never once did I have to have a CRB/DBS check, and I worked with well known big firms as well, but..............some firms might credit check you, so if you've ever missed a credit card payment whatever that will show.

Good luck with it!
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 12
No one should have a crinimal record for buying a police baton. WHy aren't the police in jail?
Reply 13
Original post by Bloodbath
No one should have a crinimal record for buying a police baton. WHy aren't the police in jail?


Offensive weapon, anybody?

And because it's a part of their job. They're legally exempt from it while on duty however get caught after clocking off they're just as liable for it as you or me.

They leave them in their locker or on their belt. They don't take them home.
Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by Bloodbath
No one should have a crinimal record for buying a police baton. WHy aren't the police in jail?


Award for the daftest answer goes too......


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 15
Do banks do standard or enhanced DBS checks anyway? Isn't enhanced only for people working with children and vulnerable adults?
Reply 16
Original post by HennessyVSOP
Hi guys, I recently received a simple caution for importing a weapon on the banned list (purchased a police baton online), the whole process has been really blown out proportion, had my family house searched and raided (with a warrant) by the police.

I am in University right now doing a Business degree hoping it will lead to a job in the Financial sector in the future.

I know some jobs e.g. accountancy sometimes do CRB checks. The police really downplayed the caution before I accepted it, saying an accountancy firm for instance would only deny me a job if the case was relevant to that job e.g. Fraud or Money Laundering.

Have I screwed up my future?


Hey similar position but for drunk and disorderly one very stupid night after I’ve finished uni. I have a job offer and caution now. Unsure what to do