Has The Rehabiliation Of Offenders Act Been Amended?

[Fru124]

http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/criminal-record-chris-huhne-vicky-pryce/#.UknhhIasjZl

From reading this article I understand that maybe the period for convictions to become spent has changed. It appears that where it used to be 10 years for convictions of over 6 months and under 2.5 years has now become 5 years is this the case? I have an abh conviction from Apr 2010 for which i received a month sentence suspended for 2 years will it still take 7 years for this to become spent?

[rockyracoon]

See here fru

http://www.yourrights.org.uk/yourrights/privacy/spent-convictions-and-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders/how-a-conviction-becomes-spent.html

[rockyracoon]

Looking at it, I think it'll be 7 years.

[Fru124]

Thanks very much just from the article it stated that the parties concerned received 8 months and it would be spent in 5 years?

[rockyracoon]

I wouldn't rely too much on articles. If you were under 18 when convicted, you can halve the time it takes to become sent.

[rockyracoon]

This link here backs up my earlier link, I wonder where the journo got their info from.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/rehabilitation/rehabilitation-offenders.pdf

[ABerrant]

Quoting from the original article:

'In most formal circumstances, offenders are legally obliged to declare a conviction when asked, until it becomes “spent”: currently this takes seven years for sentences of up to six months and a decade for sentences of up to 2.5 years. Sentences longer than that are never spent.'

...

'The past 12 months have seen other improvements. “Spent” periods are due to be reduced at the end of this year—under the current system, Huhne and Pryce have to wait 10 years before their convictions are spent, but following the changes this will be reduced to just under five years.'


The information appears to be correct, inasmuch as the relevant provisions of The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, in regard of changes to the ROA 1974, are awaiting commencement which is expected in November 2013.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/10/part/3/chapter/8/enacted

[Fru124]

After reading the below link AB does this mean that my conviction will
become 'spent' when my suspended sentence period ends or when the 5 months conviction would have ended, sorry just confused from the wording of the legislation.

[Fru124]

Also does anyone know if this law has come iunto force yet? Does it apply in Northern ireland? Come on peeps where are all the legal eagles out there :)