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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Teenager has university place withdrawn due to spent conviction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:
smallwhitecat · 01/07/2008 22:09

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Hulababy · 01/07/2008 22:09

I still disagree that most young people do not find themselves engaging in criminal, or even near criminal, activity and that most do not have any form of criminal record. And this isn't just because they weren't caught.

Hulababy · 01/07/2008 22:10

Aitch - I definitely think he has been poorly advised.

Aitch · 01/07/2008 22:10

dunno, ilove. if that's the case then i'd wonder if there's more to it than is being said tbh. i was assuming not. it does seem like a massive over-reaction to ever prevent him becoming a doctor.

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 22:11

Anyone else read the Doctor in the House books?

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:11

I agree that the courses you've mentioned are vital, Hula, and we simply don't know whether he's done them, do we? Unless you know something that I don't.

I certainly wouldn't fancy my chances of getting into any medical school, let alone Imperial. I'd think that the mental and emotional commitment he's shown by achieving such a success should indicate a significant level of personal growth since his stupid burglary incident. I doubt that he's now the same person he was at 15.

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:13

I'm sorry, smallwhitecat, have I missed something? Has he killed someone? Or are you just exaggerating?

VeniVidiVickiQV · 01/07/2008 22:14

Well - you just did presume!!!

Who says he broke into a house? He might have broken into a garage block or allotment shed or something. There are degrees of severity in burglary as much as there are in assault.

He could have done the equivalent of spit on someone (not pleasant by any means!) and you are all presuming that by assault it means he must have thwacked someone around the head with a crowbar.

He committed it as a juvenile. He served his sentence. It should be spent. There are very few of us have perfect backgrounds. People have the capacity to improve and change their lives. He's clearly worked hard to overcome this blip in his life and I dont think that should be forgotten.

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 22:14

I know what swc means

Anyway I look forward enormously to Imperial's & UCAS's comments tomorrow...

Greyriverside · 01/07/2008 22:15

I was adult at 15. If parents are really not teaching kids to be responsible at that age then perhaps they should be? Because if they commit criminal offenses it may harm their careers.

I'd hate to think that "oh what's a few burgleries... boys will be boys" is the message we are giving kids now.

cupsoftea · 01/07/2008 22:15

vvv - wonder if those who suffered from having their things stolen would call it " a blip"

Habbibu · 01/07/2008 22:16

Ok - the lot of you. Go and listen to PM - think it's towards the end. More information on there.

Hulababy · 01/07/2008 22:16

No I don't - but I am thinking of what I do know about these kinds of sentences, and the length of his custodial sentences - and I suspect he may well not have. I work in prison ed, deal with prisoners daily and look in detail at their background, previosu sentences and the courses they have done/are likely to have done on different types of sentences, and have spend time with local YOT int eh community, so using that experience to gauge likelihood.

But if he has - even more reason to do as suggested - head down, reapply and use tht personal statement to sell himself and say what he has done to mke him no longer a risk to others - seeing as this is what the universities concern is, this is what he needs to address.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 01/07/2008 22:16

Could smallwhitecat be referring to the twat of a doctor who threw out a mother and her daughter from an A & E because he felt (without doing so much as a blood test), that the girl was attention seeking and making it up. Only for this girl to be finally diagnosed a short while later by her GP with leukemia and die a few weeks later?

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 22:16

Really, Grey? I know dozens of 15-yr-old boys and none of them are even close.

smallwhitecat · 01/07/2008 22:17

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Aitch · 01/07/2008 22:18

no vvv, it was a house. he said so on the radio tonight, someone posted saying he'd been on saying he'd been tricked into it.

if my kid was not having blips and had applied to get into Imperial, they'd be checking to see if she'd done background volunteer work etc etc etc, it's not just about exam results. this strikes me as the other side of the same coin. and he's Going To get into another med school anyway... don't get the big deal really.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 01/07/2008 22:18

Of course not cups - but that's not the point is it?

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:19

Veni - I think you're being too kind to smallwhite. I think she's just exaggerating.

Hula - you clearly know more about rehabilitation training than I do, however I still don't agree that the huge effort he has made to transform his life should be ignored.

MrsThierryHenry · 01/07/2008 22:21

Ah...didn't see the Shipman comment, smallwhite. Still an exaggeration in this context, seeing as we're talking about a very low-level involvement in what was apparently a non-violent crime (unless I'm mistaken).

VeniVidiVickiQV · 01/07/2008 22:22

LOL! Well, I'm well known for my kindness of course

And damn you aitch for having actual FACTS

I'd rather have an ex-burglar who knew his job than a jumped up twat who didnt do his job properly because he was so far up his own arse deal with me in hospital.

personally.

As long as he doesnt try to burgle my batty [flippant]

Hulababy · 01/07/2008 22:23

No it should be ignored. But clearly he is going to have to fighter harder than an unconvicted candidiate for such a place. And, as said before, these top universities, have so many candidiates clamouring for each place they can afford to be picky.

Chances are he will get into a university and do the course - but he migh have to just fight that bit harder. As I say he needs to get out the media and stop complaining about it and put that level of effort and enegrgy into fighting his corner directly with UCAS and the universities.

I help convicted men apply for university and college courses for all manner of courses and always advise declaring allconvictions, includding those spent, and to use the personal statement to supprt why he should be considered.

WendyWeber · 01/07/2008 22:23

The application only asked for unspent convictions.

smallwhitecat · 01/07/2008 22:24

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Soapbox · 01/07/2008 22:24

Isn't this just because medicine is one of the professions where you cannot practice if you have a conviction that could warrant a custodial sentence(spent or otherwise)?

It would be the same if he wanted to be a lawyer or an accountant, I believe.

There is no point in him taking a place if he will be unable to practice once he qualifies.

One might think that the professions might of course show some leniency where the offence was committed by a minor!