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Original poster

Teenager has university place withdrawn due to spent conviction

262 replies

melpomene · 01/07/2008 19:31

Story here

I feel sorry for him. He must have been 15 or 16 when he committed the offence and it sounds as if it was an insolated offence and he got himself back on track.

OP posts:
Aitch · 01/07/2008 21:53

do you think MrsTH? i'd definitely say the opposite. there will be plenty of hippy uni entrance officers who'll take him to their patchouli-oiled bosom, i'm sure.

Cammelia · 01/07/2008 21:56

If a conviction is spent (and some types can never be spent eg sex crimes) then disclosure is one thing (and some jobs do require disclosure of spent comvictions) but its the sense that one will pay for the rest of one's life that I find so appalling.

I was 15 once, a long time ago, and I know that I had barely any concept of the future

Aitch · 01/07/2008 21:56

so WW when the police come round to your house, ww, and say to you 'we've got your son in custody for house-burgling', you'll think 'oh well, they didn't think that one through...'

Habbibu · 01/07/2008 21:56

Patchouli? It's all small suits for the admissions chicks here... Besides, they've got FA to do with selection to medical school - that's the academics' job.

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 21:57

PMSL at patchouli-drenched hippies!

I knew an ex-con once. He'd been a burglar/ robber and had been very creative about how he went about his business.

When I knew him he genuinely had turned his life around and it was bloody hard to get people to treat him 'normally' if they found out about his past.

Straw poll: is there anyone on MN who's never done something they regretted later?

Habbibu · 01/07/2008 21:57

smart suits. Though they are quite petite.

Aitch · 01/07/2008 21:58

oh fgs, it's ONE uni. it's not a big disaster. it's a big fat lesson that if you burgle people's hooses then you might find some consequences other than picking up litter for four months...

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 21:58

Aitch, you may have a dumb adolescent boy one day too, and yes, that's exactly what you'd think.

"You stupid boy, Pike!"

Hulababy · 01/07/2008 21:58

MrsThierryHenry - he has chosen to have his story all over the press. No one forced him to pose for pictures and give direct quotes after all.

Do we now what, if any, rehabilitation work this man has done to reduce his risk of reoffending? The article does not state this. The only reason why his conviction is considered spent is because of his age; if he had been older it would not be.

Doctors do have to declare convictions, including spent ones, as far as I am aware. I think he was poorly advised by UCAS. they should have told him to include this information upfront IMO - he could have then used part of his personal statement to address the matter and explain why this was no longer a concern and what he has done to reduce his risk to others in the future.

I have no doubt that this man has worked hard over the last couple of years - but remember, it is less than 3 years ago when this crime was committed. That is not very long. Maybe he needs t0 spend a bit more time proving himself, and and then reapply to other universitiesdeclaring it as stated above. And he needs to get out of the media - keep his head down stop saying "it's not fair" and start saying "yes, I did it, I was wrong, I am sorry, and this is how I have made things right ad why I deserve to be given a chance now."

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 22:00

Oh FGS, Hula, he was 15 - not "this man"!!!

No, we don't have the full story & I think those casting stones should hold off until we do.

Aitch · 01/07/2008 22:00

that's funny, habs. i wonder if the academics are tougher than admissions chicas would be?
i must say, all my lawyer pals were aware of not getting into scrapes while at uni etc.

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:01

Hula, the point is that he was originally offered a place - in other words they thought he was an excellent candidate for the course. The only thing that then stood in his way was his past conviction.

Apparently university selection boards have an obligation to interview people in such cases, i.e. where they've succeeded in acquiring a place and then later there's doubt cast over their suitability. Did this happen in this chap's case, anyone know?

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 22:02

not getting into scrapes while at uni - EXACTLY, Aitch.

Cammelia · 01/07/2008 22:02

Really Aitch? They weren't the same
lawyers I knew then. They were fairly careful not to get caught however....

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:03

Hula - is getting a place in one of the world's top 5 unis not enough "work to reduce his risk of reoffending", in your opinion?

Also, apparently he did say "I am sorry, etc" as you suggested.

Habbibu · 01/07/2008 22:03

Well, I'd imagine lawyers would be. Med students, on the other hand, put me in mortal fear of ever getting sick. Especially on a Saturday. Or Sunday. or Monday... And a clinical psychologist I went out with was the most insensitive git known to man.

Habbibu · 01/07/2008 22:04

MrsT, yes, he had a "fitness to practice" interview following the CRB check.

Hulababy · 01/07/2008 22:04

He is now an adult, 18 years old, - a man. Hence I am describing him as a man. My prisoners are aged 17 and above and yes, I consider them grown men. OK, he was 15 at the time - but not now. I am discussing his behaviour and approach to this at this point - as a an adult.

OK, if any better - this teenage boy should get himself out the media, get his head down, reapply to other unis, be upfront about his conviction, and focus part of his personal statement regarding this matter (as explained above).

Aitch · 01/07/2008 22:05

no, not EXACTLY ww. i just didn't hang around with lawyer kids at school, so can't comment on them. none of them were burgling people's houses, though.

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:05

I was at a top class uni which had a medical school attached. If you'd seen the antics of the medics while they were studying, you'd have been shocked. They had the worst reputation of all the students. Who knows...some of them may be treating you now...!

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:06

Thanks, Hab.

Cammelia · 01/07/2008 22:06

Maybe the doctor thing has become stricter since H Shipman

ilovemydog · 01/07/2008 22:07

aitch, is it though just one uni's admission policy? If he has been deemed 'unfit to practice' after a CRB check, this surely this is a universal ban?

It's like someone not passing a CRB check to be a nurse at a particular hospital. Surely they wouldn't be given a job at another hospital? I don't know.

Hulababy · 01/07/2008 22:07

MrsThierryHenry - I am thinking more of established offending behaviour courses such a decision making courses, victim awareness, etc. All courses that are available to people who find themselves convicted of a criminal offence.

I don't think the university will back track, so he needs to move on and take a new approach to getting a place. If he really wants to be a doctor he needs to fight his corner and prove himself.

Aitch · 01/07/2008 22:08

i do agree with hula on this. he's put himself into the media, by the looks of things. all i've seen is that BBC article, but he is claiming discrimination (as if in this case they aren't allowed to be discriminating).
better he thought 'shit, i should keep applying for other unis and say from the outset this time'.
actually i think the UCAS advice not great in this instance, i'd understand if he were angry with them.

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