What is a police caution in UK?

What is a police caution in UK?

Cautions are given to anyone aged 10 or over for minor crimes – for example writing graffiti on a bus shelter. You have to admit an offence and agree to be cautioned. You can be arrested and charged if you don’t agree.

Is a police caution serious?

A police caution (since 2005 more properly known as a simple caution) is a formal warning given by the police to anyone aged 10 years or over who has admitted that they are guilty of a minor crime. A person may refuse to admit guilt and not accept a caution, but can then be subject to criminal prosecution.

How long does a UK caution last?

If you admit an offence, the police can give you a caution. A caution is not a conviction. A caution is a warning which stays on your record for six years if you’re an adult, or two years if you’re under 18.

What happens after a caution?

If you attend an interview under caution voluntarily, you have the right to stop and leave the interview at any time. However, in some circumstances, attempting to do so may result in you being arrested.

Does a caution give you a criminal record?

Cautions don’t show up on basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks so if you apply for a job covered by the ROA you won’t need to disclose your caution. If you are asked in a job interview whether you have any criminal convictions, you can answer no because a caution is not a conviction.

Should I accept a caution from the police?

Never accept a police caution unless the case is strong A conviction will have more serious implications in terms of sentencing, with the possibility of imprisonment, and also will have a longer-term impact in terms of background checks.

Will a caution stop me getting a job?

You may be concerned as to whether employers have the right to retract a job offer if they find out about your past conviction or caution. By law, employers are not able to rule out job applications because of previous convictions, as long as the conviction or the caution has been ‘spent’.

Will a police caution affect my job?

Simple cautions can become spent immediately, and so will not affect your employability. Conditional cautions are where certain conditions must be agreed to, such as to pay compensation or issue an apology to a victim.

Should you accept a police caution?

Can a caution be removed?

Can a police caution be removed? Yes, a police caution can get deleted from the PNC (Police National Computer). It requires compelling grounds to be put forward that are sufficient to persuade the police that the caution ought not to remain on the PNC.

Should I accept a caution?

Never accept a police caution unless the case is strong An example of when evidence may be strong is if someone is found in possession of illegal drugs, and there is no reasonable explanation as to why. In those circumstances, if you do not accept a caution, it is quite likely that the police will charge you.

Can you lose your job over a caution?

If you do need to disclose and you’ve been working for the employer for some time, then it’s probably unlikely to result in your being dismissed unless the caution is relevant to the work that you’re doing. Your employer carries out regular criminal record checks on which the caution may be disclosed.

Does caution affect employment?

Can a police caution affect employment?

Is a simple caution a criminal record?

A simple caution is an admission of guilt to committing an offence and forms part of an offender’s criminal record. 64. The simple caution forms part of an offender’s criminal record and a record will be retained by the police for future use. It may also be referred to in future legal proceedings.