police caution and employment

[dottymott]

My relative has been employed by home office immigration services for 2 years, he was arrested recently and cautioned for assault to myself even tho i had told the police it had been an accident (it genuinely was) He was drunk at the time and very distressed. He has had to notify his work and has been suspended on full pay whilst an investigation is undergone, does anyone know what the implications could be for him regarding his job, which incidentally he is very good at.

[KenR]

If he accepted the caution then that is the equivalent of admitting guilt.
As a civil servant you can't have a criminal conviction, but I am unsure of exactly how a formal admission of guilt without a criminal conviction would stand.
It is however quite probable that if this had happened prior to his initial background checks that he would not have been appointed. So hate to say it, but it could be the end of that line of employment.

[dzug]

As a civil servant you can't have a criminal conviction,

??? I really don't believe that. In fact from working in a government department I know it's not true.

If it was a one off and he is genuinely good at his job he should get reinstated after a warning.

[dottymott]

can you not only have a criminal conviction if the case goes to court and you are found guilty? Although i understand accepting a caution is accepting you commited said offence , you have not been found guilty in a court of law, is there not a difference? He has no previous cautions , warnings or convictions so fingers crossed his career will be safe and he will have learnt a valuable lesson. Thanks all , any other thoughts gladly received .

[Yorkie580]

Dottymott is correct. Only a court can convict. A caution is not a conviction.

It depends on his role, security clearance etc but for a caution he must have admitted the offence and signed to that effect.

[trevt0m]

yorkie i had a caution from the police for assult which i admitted and the the police told me that it will be on record for 6 months so dotty tell your relative to keep cleen from now on lol