Was stopped when passing the UK Border in Gatwick

[2grumbler]

Back in the year 2007 I was arrested and sentenced to 9 months in prison for using a fake id in a hotel(i know, i know).
When released 4.5 months later I travelled back to my home country (one of the Baltic States) and upon coming back no questions were asked on the border. In december 2008 we went on a holiday to Cyprus and again - no problems whatsoever when coming back.
Then a trip to Ireland. Again - no problems.
However, a month ago, when returning from a Bank holiday in Spain and passing through the customs I was told by an immigration officer that "my name just came up". He looked as confused as me and said he needed "to make some checks" and suggested I wait in a special area. After about 25 minutes he came back and asked I ve ever been convicted in the UK to which I answered positively and gave some details about my conviction . Without any further explanation he returned my ID and blurped something about wishing me a nice stay.
Well, I have two questions , first being : what the hell was that? If I was put on some "watch list", why wasn't I stopped during previons entries to the UK? Is there such a list?

and the second:
I know I did a nasty stupid thing back when I was younger. But well, I got my prison sentence and I served it. I'd never been a career criminal, it was a case of an utmost stupidity. A completely one-off thing I can't regret enough. Thus it's quite embarassing and degrading to be stopped and treated like some gangster or visa fraudster. I mean I've been living in the UK ever since, work and do pay taxes like anyone else. Am I likely to be stopped again? Was it due to the nature of my crime?

Thanks to everyone.

[buildersmate]

The UK Borders Agency uses a number of databases to maintain its knowledge on individuals that it may wish to maintain a track on.
It also has access under certain situations to the Police National Computer (PNC) system. With a criminal conviction, I assume you'd be on the PNC.

[dzug]

Thus it's quite embarassing and degrading to be stopped and treated like some gangster or visa fraudster.

Well in a very minor way you are. potentially. The latter anyway

But yes there is a watch list. I don't know how they operate it - inconsistently anyway by the sound of it. Maybe set at different levels depending what security alerts are on.

[CrAcKaClOwN]

I often get stopped by police,mi6,customs,army,interpol,f.bi,etc.....i really should stop wearing that "osama bin laden" mask everywhere!

On a serious note,in these times of high crimes and terrorist threats EVERYONE is under suspicion,are you likely to stopped again, YES! was it due to the nature of your crime,it could be yes,then again it could have nothing to do with you been stopped! Its just the way things are,as long as your doing nothing wrong you have nothing to fear,and if you feel this happens too much,theres always complaint forms you can fill out.

[KARL]

Anyone entering a foreign country can expect, however remote the likelihood (never absolute zero), to be stopped and questioned more than the majority. Assuming your passport is not a British one then you enter Britain as a foreigner and this applies to you. The immigration staff are human and each individual will to some extent be inconsistent and there will be even greater variations from official to official. It is correct (above) that there is considerable strain on the system because of perceived threats and the pressure to be seen to do something to counteract it. For the present, we all need to accept this as a fact of life, but I agree with you it and its consequences are unpleasant even if it actually prevents or at least discourages some undesirable activity. There is a debate on as to which degree, if any, some of the hoops we have to go through as travellers actually have the desired effect.

[VHG]

It sounds as though you have done a few trips in the last few years.

The authorities do keep a track of people who are always travelling as they may be carrying drugs or money laundering.

So maybe your past record, coupled with your levels of travel, AND the fact you come from one of the Baltic states, may make you are "target" for airport security.