ACPO Police certificate, do they show 'spent' convictions?

[terrylfer 0]

Hi

Please can any user answer this question with confidence.

ACPO claim they observe the 'step down' model which is entirely different from convictions being classed as 'spent'. I know subject access requests show spent convictions, but police certificates supposedly do not (not sure why the difference, though if spent it would be fair if nobody saw them, otherwise why call them spent, judges can be employed with spent convictions so us mrere mortals should not suffer with them)

I have searched high and low on this and constantly find conflicting information. Some sites say they do show spent convictions and other say they do not.

I would really appreciate it if we could find out with certainty if spent convictions will appaear on the certificate.

many thanks in advance for any useful info on this subject

Terry

[Nik+Heather 121]

I'm not that familiar, but I think it has something to do with the wording on the ACPO cert.

If there are past convictions (I guess that are passed the "step down" period?) the wording on the certificate will be "No Live Trace"

If there are no convictions whatsoever, then it will come back "No Trace"

If it is No Live Trace, then you can get something called a subject access document (which the embassy will want to see before granting the visa) on the previous convictions. Allie and Nigel or Yorkshirerose22 have been through this process recently, look for replies from them or search in their posts for more specifics.

Edit to say: the police cert is good for a year. Especially if you think this might be true for you, be sure to apply for the cert earlier rather than later so you can sort the rest out!!

Edited November 23, 2009 by Nik+Heather

[Lansbury 19]

If you have convictions which are "spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act the ACPO certificate will show "no live trace". It will not show those convictions but you will have to provide the Embassy with details of those spent convictions.

Edited November 23, 2009 by Lansbury

[Allie and Nigel 2]

If you have convictions which are "spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act the ACPO certificate will show "no live trace". It will not show those convictions but you will have to provide the Embassy with details of those spent convictions.

The subject access shows spent convictions. I have personal experience with this. Order it, you'll be glad you did.

Edited November 26, 2009 by Allie and Nigel