Our eldest son texted us this morning with the great news that after a lot of hard searching he had been offered a job, as a dental technician. An hour or so later he followed this up with the devastating news that the offer had had to be withdrawn as his DBS check showed that he had been convicted and given a conditional discharge for carrying a bladed object quite a few years ago now.
This ‘bladed object’ was a tiny penknife at the bottom of his rucksack that he used the dig any stones out of his skateboard wheels. To give you some idea of how innocuous it was; he won it at a children’s seaside arcade a few years before, when we were on a camping holiday. Although the blade was only 2 ½ inches long it locked and this led the police to charge him. Being away I was not able to attend court and to my horror he pleaded guilty. Although the offence is ‘spent’ it remains on his record forever and I am sure that this is not the last life opportunity that will be denied him because of it.
Young people lives are being blighted forever due to the most minor infringement of laws they probably have no idea they are even breaking. My son is very shy, quiet and the last person you ever suspect of being a ‘criminal’. I have just spoken to the man who offered him the job and he was very sad not to be able to take him on as he was ‘ideal’ for the job. Apparently the General Dental Council will not register anyone with a conviction like this, no matter how minor or that it is ‘spent’.
By Mike* (name & details changed to protect identity)
