Tarquin88
Member
There are often questions on here about the consequences that a (rail-related) conviction may have for one’s future career. Posters may be interested in this article from The Times today which covers (in my view) a very minor offence from 22 years ago and the requirement to declare it annually.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/locum-specsavers-optician-shouldve-kept-his-clothes-on-pjdcbk7qr
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/locum-specsavers-optician-shouldve-kept-his-clothes-on-pjdcbk7qr
Jagdip Dhariwal got a criminal record for indecent exposure in 1998 after joining in a freshers’ week dare at the age of 28. He was arrested for stripping with university friends and running around outside at midnight. Mr Dhariwal, 50, a locum optometrist in Romsey, Hampshire, faced a tribunal last week for failing to tell the General Optical Council about his conviction.
He said that he had not declared it because he viewed the punishment as a slap on the wrist for a student prank. He told the council that he had been celebrating a friend’s engagement. “Five of us had gathered for dinner and a few drinks,” he said. “It was freshers’ week and two of those invited were students . . . everyone was in high spirits. By around midnight three of us were quite drunk and were encouraged by the others to streak into the cold. It was a foolish dare but being silly we decided to strip off and ran outside. We stood outside only briefly, before dashing back inside. There were a few students around outside. A police vehicle pulled up as the students raised their voices to cheer us on. Realising the dare had been inappropriate and stupid we quickly dressed as officers came to the door and demanded to be let in. I was taken to a police station and put in a cell. I was not aware at the time that I was being arrested.”
Mr Dhariwal was released after a few hours. He appeared at Southampton magistrates’ court where he pleaded guilty and answered some “jocular questions” before he was ordered to pay a £100 fine and costs of £45.
Since 2006 the council has required optometrists to file annual retention forms that ask them to declare criminal convictions. The tribunal was told that Mr Dhariwal had always ticked “no” because he believed that his conviction was similar to a speeding or littering fine. However, the council received an anonymous tip-off about the incident in December 2015. Mr Dhariwal admitted the event.
A council report said that Mr Dhariwal must have realised that he had received a criminal conviction. The tribunal concluded: “The committee found it impossible to accept the registrant’s account that he had not realised that . . . he had received a criminal conviction. The registrant’s intentional failures to disclose his conviction on annual retention forms between 2006 and 2015 was a lengthy period of time. His conduct involved active dishonesty.” Mr Dhariwal said: “At the material time I was not aware it was considered criminal behaviour or that it would mean I had a criminal record. In my mind it was a student prank for which I had simply been fined and did not attach any ‘conviction’ to the matter.”
Mr Dhariwal admitted three misconduct breaches and the tribunal suspended him for six months.
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