UK (UK) Would it be hard for a sex offender to become an electrician and keep a job?

[pqowieuryt]

These are for charges relating to when I was young and dumb but I now have to register as a sex offender for life with an indefinite SHPO. I'm not seeking any forgiveness.

I'm looking to become an electrician or something within the trades but I'm worrying whether I will have trouble finding work as one due to my charges.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[telectrix]

if working where children or vunerable people are involved, you'd need to obtain a CRB. this may well be requested by a prospective employer .

 

[Andy78]

DBS checks are more common these days. They are commonly requested by local authorities for their subcontractor's employees, and larger sites can ask for them too.

I would imagine any employer would ask for previous convictions on application. I have no idea if you have to legally disclose your situation.

Working as a trade on a site involves a lot of banter, ---- taking and even bullying. I can imagine life being very difficult on site for someone in your situation.

 

[buzzlightyear]

These are for charges relating to when I was young and dumb but I now have to register as a sex offender for life with an indefinite SHPO. I'm not seeking any forgiveness.

what you have done in the past is your business ,by asking on the forum is a no from me
you will have to live with it .so if people take you on they will have to think very careful on taking you on . just think if you take on a jail bird that have stolen ,would you take them on no you would not ,so that is my view.

 

[JD6400]

Bit of a strange question ?
For me it would depend on the severity of the offence .
About 15 years ago a lad I knew got caught taking a leak in a shop doorway on a night out , he got put on the sex offenders register !?
And if you look back in time not that far , it was jail time if you were of the wrong persuasion.
Best explain your circumstances to any prospective employer and only they can decide.

 

[buzzlightyear]

About 15 years ago a lad I knew got caught taking a leak in a shop doorway on a night out , he got put on the sex offenders register

Wow it must of been a two way glass.

 

[JD6400]

I I think it was Sainsbury's actually , I also think being a Sainsbury's 24-hours didn't help ?

 

[buzzlightyear]

I I think it was Sainsbury's actually , I also think being a Sainsbury's 24-hours didn't help

It's luckyhe wasn't at tescos spending a penny every little helps.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

For me, It would depend on the severity. ----ing on a shop window wouldn’t bother me. Any sort of sexual assault or anything to do with a kid you can jog on no matter how long ago.

 

[Midwest]

With no idea of what the OP was convicted of, I think some are being too judgemental, nor should he/she disclose such details.

The best advice to give, as some have, on how to gain employment in this industry, not voice their personal opinions. Everyone makes mistakes, it’s not acknowledging them and moving and changing the mistakes of the past, which it appears the OP has, by wanting to become an electrician.

 

[MJPD29]

Depending on the severity of the offence it could be difficult, especially in jobs that nay cover areas such as schools etc. Im all for a second chance, but as I'm sure your aware sexual offences are looked upon very negatively.

 

[Midwest]

Depending on the severity of the offence it could be difficult, especially in jobs that nay cover areas such as schools etc. Im all for a second chance, but as I'm sure your aware sexual offences are looked upon very negatively.

So are serious assaults and homicide, but some of them can rehabilitate. Its the ones that don't, I have no time for.

 

[Baddegg]

I’m all for second chances but @Chris86 nailed it for me...

 

[pqowieuryt]

OP here, without going into too much detail, it was an online offence where I communicated with several teens when I was 18. My SHPO means I must disclose my offence to any potential employers.

So I assume becoming an electrician is a no-go? Would this even be for commercial rather than domestic?

Thanks

 

[Williamshoeste]

If you have to disclose it to every employer then would that include people who employ you to do self employed house work?

if so that would make domestic work hard.

If you can put yourself through college, you could get the college qualifications then a big obstacle would be finding someone to take you on for the on-site part to become qualified.

Maybe apply for apprenticeships with big companies, so power companies like western power, water companies, national rail etc. Be honest in the application forms and see what happens.

 

[ferg]

The type of offence, being what it is, has a serious stigma attached to it.

Being blunt but not judgemental, for my sins I believe in rehabilitation and second chances, I personally would not employ you purely because of the damage to my reputation if and when it became public knowledge as I work predominantly in the domestic market.

Working in the industrial sector may be different but I would suggest that your options would be limited to being employed by a company where you are in a single location I.E. a factory or similar and not for a contractor where you would be sent to various locations.

Everyone does stupid things to varying degrees when young. Learning from it and not repeating the behaviour is the important bit.

As hard as it is I would suggest being open and honest with potential employers as dishonesty on something like this could cause some very serious problems for everyone involved.

 

[pqowieuryt]

If you have to disclose it to every employer then would that include people who employ you to do self employed house work?

if so that would make domestic work hard.

If you can put yourself through college, you could get the college qualifications then a big obstacle would be finding someone to take you on for the on-site part to become qualified.

Maybe apply for apprenticeships with big companies, so power companies like western power, water companies, national rail etc. Be honest in the application forms and see what happens.

I would think that I have to do it for self employed work yes.

I would still very much like to get into the trade but I wouldn't like to go through college and apprenticeships and go through several years of training and become qualified just to find out no one will hire me despite it.

 

[ferg]

I would think that I have to do it for self employed work yes.

I would still very much like to get into the trade but I wouldn't like to go through college and apprenticeships and go through several years of training and become qualified just to find out no one will hire me despite it.

I would think the only way you would get trained in the type of work you could do would be through an adult traineeship with the type of employer mentioned in posts 15 and 16.

Domestic and self employed work is pretty much out of the equation.

 

[Midwest]

OP here, without going into too much detail, it was an online offence where I communicated with several teens when I was 18. My SHPO means I must disclose my offence to any potential employers.

So I assume becoming an electrician is a no-go? Would this even be for commercial rather than domestic?

Thanks

I did say you didn't have to explain yourself. You've recognized your faults and moved onwards. In times, not so long ago, in your circumstances, many have done something very similar. This is the millstone our now society requires you to carry.

But you can move on, don't take the narrow view here, as representative of prospective employers. It will be hard for you, but don't loose faith, as you turn your corner in life.

Good luck @pqowieuryt

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Think as mentioned an internal apprenticeship with a big company might be your best option. Would be awful to do all the college work to be knocked back. Speak to the job centre or maybe a support worker about it as they will have more idea probably than us on here.
If you manage to get a job with a company and they then have to declare you to all clients and building sites you work on, sorry you have no chance. You wouldn’t want to be on a building site with lads knowing you have that hanging over you either.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Have you considered getting the SHPO discharged by applying to the court, if it was such a long time ago etc etc,

 

[davesparks]

I think the issue of people judging you because of this will be universal to any job, not just to being an electrician.

I think that once you have found an employer who can see past this and give you a chance then you will be fine. Obviously you still need to work hard etc etc but that is universal to anybody not just your situation.

There will be some places you won't be able to work, care homes, schools etc etc but I'm sure you know that already, so do a bit of research in to companies you are applying to and avoid companies that do a lot of that kind of work.

 

[Vortigern]

I would say become an MP, seems you can do anything and get away with it.

 

[cloverman]

Have you considered getting the SHPO discharged by applying to the court, if it was such a long time ago etc etc,

I think that is an option that you should consider, only you will know the full circumstances around why you were put on the register and I'm guessing there may have been some input from people who specialise in this field at the time.
Certainly for most jobs a standard DBS will be required and for others an enhanced DBS which includes a police check on records that they hold.
You can make a request for what types of work you will be barred from doing but I would agree with what others have said anything connected with schools, hospitals, care homes, etc., is unlikely to be very favourable towards you.

When completing the questions in the 'Safeguarding' section of the application form you will need to declare all UNSPENT criminal convictions and cautions that are not PROTECTED (i.e. eligible for filtering) as outlined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.



Employers:

• will consider any criminal record information on a case-by-case basis
• only take into account information that is relevant to the position you are applying for
• balance this information against the skills and competencies you have demonstrated in the recruitment process
• balance this information alongside other information they have obtained about you as part of the pre-employment check requirements
• must not ask applicants for details of, or consider any convictions or cautions that have become spent, as part of their recruitment processes
• align to the Code of Practice issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which sets out what employers need to consider when criminal record information is disclosed in a DBS check

If you declare information that is relevant to the role you are applying for, employers will take into account:

• the seriousness of the offence(s)
• your age when you committed the offence(s)
• the length of time since the offence(s) occurred
• if there is a pattern of offending behaviour
• the circumstances surrounding the offence(s)
• any evidence you provide to show that your circumstances have changed since the offending behaviour.

The criminal justice system is complex and often difficult to understand:

• You need to be clear about what information may be included on your criminal record,
• what you need to declare to any employer you may be working or volunteering with, and,
• your legal rights when doing so.

If you are unsure whether you have a criminal offence that needs to be declared to an employer, would like advice about how best to declare criminal record information or your rights, the following charity bodies offer free, independent and confidential advice:

Nacro
Tel: 0300 123 1999
Email: [email protected]

Unlock
Tel: 01634 247350 (Mon-Fri 10am – 4pm)
Text or WhatsApp: 07824 113848
Email: [email protected]

 

[JBW175]

I think everyone deserves a fair crack at the whip, but to be honest, I think you’re going to struggle. I’m not hear to judge you, but the very nature of the offence you’ve committed will put most people off, myself included. If you’d been in a drunken fight 15 years ago and had a conviction for ABH / GBH and not been in trouble since, then I think most people could forgive that, I know I would as can relate to it.

 

[Midwest]

I think everyone deserves a fair crack at the whip, but to be honest, I think you’re going to struggle. I’m not hear to judge you, but the very nature of the offence you’ve committed will put most people off, myself included. If you’d been in a drunken fight 15 years ago and had a conviction for ABH / GBH and not been in trouble since, then I think most people could forgive that, I know I would as can relate to it.

An old school chum of mine had a relationship with a girl a few school years below him. Some years later they got married, had kids and he’s now a grandfather. Should we now have his crime, reinvestigated and for him to be put on the sex offenders register, for the rest of his natural.

Don’t get me wrong, totally against the sexual exploitation of anyone including young children, but in this instance, as far as we can be informed of a forum, it’s on the lower end of the scale.

I don’t see why we can accept someone who has committed serious assaults in the past has reformed, whereas in this case we cannot.

 

[Baddegg]

An old school chum of mine had a relationship with a girl a few school years below him. Some years later they got married, had kids and he’s now a grandfather. Should we now have his crime, reinvestigated and for him to be put on the sex offenders register, for the rest of his natural.

Don’t get me wrong, totally against the sexual exploitation of anyone including young children, but in this instance, as far as we can be informed of a forum, it’s on the lower end of the scale.

I don’t see why we can accept someone who has committed serious assaults in the past has reformed, whereas in this case we cannot.

Probably because every one of us has at some point punched or seriously considered punching someone.....a crime involving children especially this type of crime is not something most people can relate to and don’t even want to think about...I don’t know the details and I don’t want to....And rightly or wrongly people do not want to be associated with it...on a personal level I wouldn’t employ a drunk driver either

 

[JBW175]

An old school chum of mine had a relationship with a girl a few school years below him. Some years later they got married, had kids and he’s now a grandfather. Should we now have his crime, reinvestigated and for him to be put on the sex offenders register, for the rest of his natural.

Don’t get me wrong, totally against the sexual exploitation of anyone including young children, but in this instance, as far as we can be informed of a forum, it’s on the lower end of the scale.

I don’t see why we can accept someone who has committed serious assaults in the past has reformed, whereas in this case we cannot.

There's a distinct difference between marrying your childhood sweetheart years ago when attitudes were different, and doing something that warrants getting a SHPO by today's standards.

After having done jury service in December and sat on a sex case where someone was up for breaching one, i know that SHPO's aren't dished out for minor offences; they're given to people that are seen as an ongoing threat / danger to the community, which is why they issue them. I.E. serious and prevalent offenders that can't be trusted to go about their day to day business without being a nuisance to the public.

It's also no secret that looking at stuff you shouldn't be looking at on the internet, or speaking with underage girls on the internet, will get you into a serious amount of trouble; and rightly so. At 18, you're an adult, you know the difference between right & wrong!!!!

Now compare doing something like that on multiple occasions willingly, to punching someone once while intoxicated while on a night out; and i know which person i'm willing to forgive and give a job to.

People can agree or disagree, but those are my standards and i'll stick by them thanks.

 

[Midwest]

Probably because every one of us has at some point punched or seriously considered punching someone.....a crime involving children especially this type of crime is not something most people can relate to and don’t even want to think about...I don’t know the details and I don’t want to....And rightly or wrongly people do not want to be associated with it...on a personal level I wouldn’t employ a drunk driver either

There's a distinct difference between marrying your childhood sweetheart years ago when attitudes were different, and doing something that warrants getting a SHPO by today's standards.

After having done jury service in December and sat on a sex case where someone was up for breaching one, i know that SHPO's aren't dished out for minor offences; they're given to people that are seen as an ongoing threat / danger to the community, which is why they issue them. I.E. serious and prevalent offenders that can't be trusted to go about their day to day business without being a nuisance to the public.

It's also no secret that looking at stuff you shouldn't be looking at on the internet, or speaking with underage girls on the internet, will get you into a serious amount of trouble; and rightly so. At 18, you're an adult, you know the difference between right & wrong!!!!

Now compare doing something like that on multiple occasions willingly, to punching someone once while intoxicated while on a night out; and i know which person i'm willing to forgive and give a job to.

People can agree or disagree, but those are my standards and i'll stick by them thanks.

We don’t know the details, but I believe we are not talking about young children, so let’s keep the comparison in check.

As to giving preference to someone (a job) whose just punched another whilst intoxicated is debatable. Might ask my son, who was punched in the face, and broke his jaw in two places. He suffers problems and pain, from the rusting of plates put into his jaw, to fix them. His crime was he didn’t have a cigarette to offer his assailant.

So I can’t agree with that analogy.

 

[nicebutdim]

As to giving preference to someone (a job) whose just punched another whilst intoxicated is debatable. Might ask my son, who was punched in the face, and broke his jaw in two places. He suffers problems and pain, from the rusting of plates put into his jaw, to fix them. His crime was he didn’t have a cigarette to offer his assailant.

So I can’t agree with that analogy.

Have to agree with this. Too many people use drunkenness as an excuse to dismiss all manner of unacceptable behaviour. Alcohol doesn't make people violent, it simply lowers their inhibitions and an angry or violent person becomes less able to suppress those urges.

 

[Baddegg]

I think that’s the point @Midwest we don’t know the details but as an employer would you want to potentially hear them?...,..or would you just say no thanks?
And I’m certainly not condoning drunken assault...I’m certainly not judging the op either merely giving my views on the question,

 

[JBW175]

Neither am i condoning drunken assault. But what i am saying is, i'd be more inclined to give a job to someone who'd been in a fight 15 years ago, where there may have been aggravating and mitigating circumstances and not been in trouble since, than i am to someone who's got a SHPO.

I can't see any mitigating circumstances whatsoever in respect to talking to / grooming teenage girls for sexual gratification online, which is ultimately what it is, lets not try and play it down, there's no other reason for it & we all know it's wrong!!!

They don't have to be young children either, The OP's already said it was for teenage girls. 13, 14, & 15 year old girls are all children and should be protected from that sort of abuse. He wouldn't have been hit with an SHPO for chatting innocently to 17 year old. It'd have to be something serious to get one in the first place, as they don't hand them out for fun.

 

[Midwest]

I don’t know about SHPO, but I suspect they are intended to ‘manage’ persons in the community. They would disclosed on checks, not something that can be hidden, be valid until further ordered, prevent them from doing certain things, disclosable for certain employment even if spent and breaching the order is a criminal offence. That’s what I’ve read.

So someone whose recognised their wrong is effectively managed for some considerable time after conviction, possibly for the rest of their life.

Do they not have a chance to try and lead a normal life, with all these checks and balances? Someone who has rebilatated?

 

[Darkwood]

I think the OP is missing a key issue here too in that the potential employee has to take an unprecedented risk to their own business and career, we have all seen those videos on youtube where a stupid act like a driving offense caught on dashcam by an employee can lose them their job and in some cases do irreversible damage to the company, it can takes yrs to decades to build up a company reputation and it can be sunk in a matter of minutes through a careless act. This isn't about the likelihood of reoffending here, this is one of those crimes that if it does get out could ruin a company simply by association.
The information the company has about the OP will need to be disclosed a number of times and will not only affect the type of work like domestic, industrial or commercial but also working with other trades, effectively if the company or any other company they work along side has say apprentices, work experience etc on site who can be as young as 14 and 15 then they may be required to put special measures in place like permanent supervision etc, even if measures could be implemented it is the court of public opinion that is the biggest risk to the company and the longer the OP is employed and the more times that this is disclosed the higher the likelihood of it been leaked out causing possible irreparable damage to the company.

It maybe the case the OP will never reoffend, it maybe the case the OP has served their time for the crime but the nature of the crime means it will not only weigh heavily on their shoulders for life but also puts a heavy burden on any potential employer especially ones where the job see's them interacting with the public on a regular basis regardless of the age.

My advice is if you want this type of career or similar is to look for employment where you effectively work in one identified environment like been the 'inhouse' electrician for say a factory etc, these types of jobs will not require your details to be submitted to anyone else other than your employee when you apply for the job and limitations and measures could be agreed beforehand between you both and as long as you abide by them then no one else needs to be the wiser giving you better prospects and job security.

I have deliberately kept away from my own views here and tried to give constructive advice, it is not for me as part of the forum to play judge and jury for a crime in your past which you have served your punishment on but I must in part reflect on the difficulties you may face and the risks that employers will be taking in employing you, hopefully I gave you direction that may see you get a career you want but as you are well aware, your options are limited so you have a much harder mountain to climb than most.

 

[Midwest]

I think the OP is missing a key issue here too in that the potential employee has to take an unprecedented risk to their own business and career, we have all seen those videos on youtube where a stupid act like a driving offense caught on dashcam by an employee can lose them their job and in some cases do irreversible damage to the company, it can takes yrs to decades to build up a company reputation and it can be sunk in a matter of minutes through a careless act. This isn't about the likelihood of reoffending here, this is one of those crimes that if it does get out could ruin a company simply by association.
The information the company has about the OP will need to be disclosed a number of times and will not only affect the type of work like domestic, industrial or commercial but also working with other trades, effectively if the company or any other company they work along side has say apprentices, work experience etc on site who can be as young as 14 and 15 then they may be required to put special measures in place like permanent supervision etc, even if measures could be implemented it is the court of public opinion that is the biggest risk to the company and the longer the OP is employed and the more times that this is disclosed the higher the likelihood of it been leaked out causing possible irreparable damage to the company.

It maybe the case the OP will never reoffend, it maybe the case the OP has served their time for the crime but the nature of the crime means it will not only weigh heavily on their shoulders for life but also puts a heavy burden on any potential employer especially ones where the job see's them interacting with the public on a regular basis regardless of the age.

My advice is if you want this type of career or similar is to look for employment where you effectively work in one identified environment like been the 'inhouse' electrician for say a factory etc, these types of jobs will not require your details to be submitted to anyone else other than your employee when you apply for the job and limitations and measures could be agreed beforehand between you both and as long as you abide by them then no one else needs to be the wiser giving you better prospects and job security.

I have deliberately kept away from my own views here and tried to give constructive advice, it is not for me as part of the forum to play judge and jury for a crime in your past which you have served your punishment on but I must in part reflect on the difficulties you may face and the risks that employers will be taking in employing you, hopefully I gave you direction that may see you get a career you want but as you are well aware, your options are limited so you have a much harder mountain to climb than most.

You lost your point after your first line.

I don't think he's unaware, I might be wrong, but he seems fully aware of the hill he needs to climb. And by the comments and personnel opinions here, it seems by many, its a seriously steep hill climb he will have to endeavor. Whilst not dismissing (his crime) what he's done, it perhaps is at the slightly less obnoxious category (down to personnel opinion I know) of sexual crime.

If we confine peoples who have served prison sentences (or other such sentences), to no longer being able to work for society, then they will end up back in prison, costing society more money and more troubles.

We cannot pick and choose which crimes we find are palatable. With checks & balances, these people (the ones that have recognized their faults & rehabilitated) can & should move forward.

There's nothing special about being an electrician, just a job OP feels is right for him, bearing in mind he gave up looking after #24. Perhaps he should of asked on Youtube!

 

[ChipFanDave]

I would think that I have to do it for self employed work yes.

I would still very much like to get into the trade but I wouldn't like to go through college and apprenticeships and go through several years of training and become qualified just to find out no one will hire me despite it.

They would not be your employers, they would be your customers. I would try that question with a lawyer familiar with your situation, not an electricians forum.

Personally fair play to you for coming on here and asking. Good luck and keep your nose (and other parts of your body) clean!

 

[Zerax]

They don't have to be young children either, The OP's already said it was for teenage girls. 13, 14, & 15 year old girls are all children and should be protected from that sort of abuse.

Did you know that the "age of consent" varies from country to country ? Even in Europe, it can be as low as 14. Until a few years ago it was 13 in Spain !

 

[Marvo]

They would not be your employers, they would be your customers. I would try that question with a lawyer familiar with your situation, not an electricians forum.

Personally fair play to you for coming on here and asking. Good luck and keep your nose (and other parts of your body) clean!

I'd be inclined to agree that 'customers' wouldn't be the same thing legally as 'employers'. I'd also suggest getting a legal opinion on whether you'd be required to disclose your history to customers if you became self employed.

 

[Midwest]

I'd be inclined to agree that 'customers' wouldn't be the same thing legally as 'employers'. I'd also suggest getting a legal opinion on whether you'd be required to disclose your history to customers if you became self employed.

That’s a point to consider, disclosure your to ‘customers’.

In the UK, only certain registered employers are allowed to apply for DBS checks on prospective employee’s, with their consent.

A self-employed person who is eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check can ask the organisation that wishes to contract their services, to apply for their check (gov.uk).

I doubt many, if any domestic customers would be eligible.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Did you know that the "age of consent" varies from country to country ? Even in Europe, it can be as low as 14. Until a few years ago it was 13 in Spain !

Doesn’t matter what country your in, if you look at a 14 year old and think it’s alright you need stringing up if it’s legal or not. Once you hit 18 and can go outdrinking and stuff there’s no excuse really to be preying on girls under 16 at all.