Hi all

Quite possibly on the last hurdle to being accepted with an ambulance service to start training in Jan 17.

BUT I am certain now that a conviction in 2003 is going to be declared on my DBS check.

I initially believed it would be filtered but as there are two charges which result in the one conviction

- they are treated as two convictions !

I have spoken to the HR department and they said that if the cert comes back with it on,

I should take a covering letter explaining what the circumstances were and showing remorse.

What I could do with is some help on writing the letter.

I can't really post a draft as it would have too much personal info ??

If it involves any sort of violence, sexual crime, theft or dishonesty/fraud - no matter what you write - an organisation like the NHS or Ambulance service won't touch you full stop. Those sort of offences will normally always bar someone from working with vulnerable people or in a position of trust.

If it's something minor, road traffic/drunk and disorderly etc, just explain the circumstances of the incident, hopefully you pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to show remorse, (make that clear), and how you have learnt from the experience, and haven't offended since.

If you plead not guilty to the offence(s), you're going to have to come up with a very good explanation why!

You need to tell us:

1) What the offence(s) were

2) Whether you plead guilty or not

3) Whether you have been in any trouble (for anything else) between 2003 and now

4) Whether you have been totally honest with this new potential employer up to now.

Actually with fraud etc, depending on seriousness and length of time since its happened, as well as any transgressions since the conviction, you can get a position of trust in the NHS.

A guy i worked with around 10 years ago is now in a senior position for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and he had a conviction back in 1999 ish for altering a cheque

I was allowed to be a student nurse in 2009 with the conviction but had to have a meeting. I'm hoping the same applies here.

No convictions before or since.

The conviction is listed as :

1) Date of conviction 27 August 2003

1 USING VEHICLE WHILE UNINSURED ON 30 JANUARY 2003. ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988 S.143(2) DISPOSAL - NO SEPARATE PENALTY

2 USING INSURANCE DOCUMENT WITH INTENT TO DECEIVE ON 18 FEBRUARY 2003. ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988 S.173(1)(A)

COMMUNITY REHABILITATION ORDER 2 YRS DRIVING LICENSE ENDORSED 6 PENALTY POINTS DISQUALIFIED FROM DRIVING - 6 POINTS (TOTTING) 12 MONTHS

COSTS 150.00

Basically I bought insurance at a cheap price from a magazine, turned out was a **** and not worth paper it was written on. The certificates were real certificates but the company had merged with another so no longer called what I was sold.

I produced cert and was arrested for the above offense and charged as I did produce it and was uninsured as insurance wasn't real.

Pleaded guilty at crown and magistrates wouldn't deal.

To Whom It May Concern

I wish to enter the following statement against my application for the position of *********** and in mitigation of a criminal conviction which appears on my Disclosure document

In August 2003 I was convicted of using an insurance document with intent to deceive and of driving whilst uninsured. I received a licence endorsement which resulted in a driving ban and was ordered to pay costs.

The circumstances were that I foolishly purchased what I thought was a cheap insurance policy through a magazine and did not check sufficiently the validity of the insurance. I was caught, did not seek to evade justice and pleaded guilty to the offence in Court. It was a mistake for which I paid a heavy price and I resolved to never find myself in a similar position in future. I had no previous involvement with the law, and am proud to say that I moved on from this offence and have not been in trouble since.

I fully understand that in such a position of trust, any criminal conviction must be looked at when considering an applicant for employment, but would ask that the circumstances of my case are taken into account and that my one indiscretion is not considered sufficient to prevent my application from proceeding.

Yours faithfully

My suggestion above

No need for pages of detail, in the big scheme of things it is a relatively minor offence which would not automatically show you to be fundamentally dishonest or a danger to vulnerable people, so a bare statement of the facts and that you have learned your lesson and not reoffended should be sufficient

Thank you

Do you think its worth adding that the reason I sought out the cheapest insurance was because my partner at the time was pregnant with my first child but was also a compulsive gambler so all the income I had was always being spent..... so had financial pressures ? That I am in very different position now so far as that I am in a different relationship and am fairly financially stable ?

I'm not sure I'd mention the gambling. Let's see what other people think.

HB

No, don't mention the gambling.

I wonder why you pleaded guilty to a crime you were a victim of.

No cag at the time I suppose.

No, don't mention the gambling.

I wonder why you pleaded guilty to a crime you were a victim of.

No cag at the time I suppose.

Nope no help other than a brief that was useless and didn't even show to crown court, he sent someone else.

Had new born baby (was born 31/07/03) so just wanted it over with. Risk trial and poss go prison or plead guilty and not.

No. Don't mention the gambling. It adds another possible source of concern where there is no need to even mention it. Similarly the pregnancy and financial pressure could potentially mark you as weak under emotional or financial pressure to the point of poor judgement.

You thought you had spotted a bargain and saw the opportunity to save some money - who wouldn't want that? You could and probably should have looked more closely at it but didn't and paid the price. Lesson learned.

If there is a need to explain more fully face to face then you might mention in very loose terms that your judgement was further clouded by the impending arrival of a baby, but introducing a gambling problem into the equation? Probably not wise.

SW has produced a very good letter for you. I'd strongly suggest that you use it without any alterations!

no.

Thank you

 

Do you think its worth adding that the reason I sought out the cheapest insurance was because my partner at the time was pregnant with my first child but was also a compulsive gambler so all the income I had was always being spent..... so had financial pressures ? That I am in very different position now so far as that I am in a different relationship and am fairly financially stable ?

You only answer what they ask. Do NOT go into any detail off your own back