how to check an old criminal case from 1994?

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I am trying to find out if the person involved in an old drugs case is the same person I know. I am not an employer or do I have any 'right' to know really but I'd rather not let them any closer to my family if they are the 'Ms X' in question.

Is there any way to know (other than asking them which might result in a lie!) or just avoiding them anyway (which would be a pity if they were not the Ms X)

I have a name & an area, & a few details of the case (from an old newspaper) &
obviously I'd not put that on here but googling only led to the article (no pics)

I appreciate this might make me seem a busybody & crimes do have a statute of limitations / people 'pay their penalty' etc but it was a lot of drugs involved.

I get where you’re coming from but this is a LONG time ago and assuming this person is in no way involved in drugs now I’d drop it.

"As a general rule, you cannot check someone’s criminal background (other than your own) unless you are a prospective employer. However, there are two key exceptions:

• If you want to check whether an individual may pose a risk to a child or children.
• If you wish to find out whether your partner, or a partner of a friend or relative, has a history of violence or abuse."

It was thirty years ago, wasn't a violent or sexual offence, and you acknowledge you don't have a 'right' to know. So short of asking them, or asking people who would have known them thirty years ago, you're not likely to be able to find out.

@givemushypeasachance Ok, that is useful to know. Thank you.
@DietCokeandHulaHoops Yes. I agree in many ways.

As I say, it is probably unreasonable of me to try to find out & it looks like I can't.
but It involved half a million pounds of drugs coming into UK so I'll avoid I think.

You would need to go on full on amateur detective and visit the local library to pull up all of the local newspaper reports on the case to see if you can find a photograph of the accused and to decide if it was the same person. A little bit over the top though. Dr Google probably isn't going to help you with this one.

Also while I obviously don’t know the details - if we are talking about a woman who was maybe a teen at the time, this may be somewhat of a coercive control situation.

@mybeesarealive Yes, I think I'd have to go full Sherlock Holmes: a bit OTT.

@DietCokeandHulaHoops the person in the article was in '40's - (many of the details match up, if it's 'my' person they are still in a position to dispense things)

I can't do anything to check so I just need to put it out of my mind I think.

Thank you to everyone who replied. I'm not normally nosey & I hope I'm not nasty but it gave me a pause when I thought of their current (self) employment.

Yes, you can do something! If it was such a big case then there should be a photo of this person in the paper. Contact your local library - newspapers are always stored there. You might have to go to your town's central library. You know the dates so it won't take too long. This sort of thing is right up my alley - please come back to let us know the results!

They’re in the 70s now? And in a position to dispense drugs? Lol I’m curious now.

Ask them?

I'm guessing you haven't heard of the 1973 Rehabilitation act? It's a bit unkind to be digging up 30 year old news stories about someone who will have paid the price, served their time and put it behind them. Fair enough, avoid them if you wish to, but why drag up the past unnecessarily?

You need to find as many news paper articles from their archives as possible.

Often their might not be a photo but it will give the name of their road.

John Smith of Richmond Road was arrested......

@OhHelloMiss Yes that would be simplist I agree. But either I am wrong in which case I upset them, or I am correct & they lie. Or, possibly they confirm.
So, the odds aren't great. I don't want to throw it in their face. I agree with 'paying the price' & moving on in general, but I'd rather not get involved with anyone who brought a large amount of drugs into the UK, however long ago.
@anothernamechange123456 Yes, I 've heard of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act.
I am not 'being unkind' / for the sake of it. But I'd prefer to know as above.
If the newspaper article is freely available then I'm not 'digging' much. But frustratingly theres no photo (which would be so old as to be unreliable anway?)
@ManilowBarry Yes. there is an address. I'm not sure how I'd check residency records that far back. Some 'Sherlock Holmes' I am !!

I think the simplest solution here would be to err on the side of caution and not let her any closer to your family than you're comfortable with.

Anyone in your community could be a potential drug dealer or criminal so just don't let her babysit until / unless you actually trust her, just the same as with anyone else.

I assume from the fact you have control over whether to "let" her near your family that you're talking about your own DC where you have a degree of control over keeping them safe.

However, the issue will obviously be more complicated if you're actually talking about extended family and the only way you can see to keep other people's children safe involves telling another family member that you have suspicions that this elderly lady MIGHT have been charged with a crime 30 years ago. In that case, then yes, I'd go and dig out the microfiche at the library and get your facts straight beforehand.