You may tet a final warning for assault for I would be highly suprised if you would get a warning for ABH and this is a much more serious offence; I would have thought a court appearance and conviction.
Reprimands and final warnings are given to people under the age of 18. For proplr over 18, cautions are used.
A final warning is always on one's record. It will not be deleted until the recipient of the final warning is deemed to reach 100 years of age.
Whilst it is not deleted, in the past records used to be stepped down so that the final warnings (amoungst other penalties)are only viewed by police, i.e. not be the Criminal Records Bureau; unless the person is subject to an enhanced criminal records check. It would not have shown on a standard check.
However, since the '5 chief constable case' at the court of appeal, thsi stepping down procedure has been suspended.
Today all convictions, cautions, final warnings and reprimands are disclosed on standard AND enhanced criminal records check. Convictions and some cautions may also appear on a basic disclosure check from Scotland for a period of time depending on the offence.
The record is for life unfortunately.
However, the home secretary Alan Johnson commisioned a review into the policies of retaining and disclosing records from the Police National Computer and this review could have very wide implications and impacts which will affect people with these types of records, such a final warnings. The report was completed by Sunita Mason and was delivered to Alan Johnson on the 26th of February. The report has not yet been made public yet but will do in the near future.
The majority of recomendations in past reports have been implemented into operational policy.