Senior judge or prize buffoon?

It depends on the seriousness of the offence and their attitude to it, doesn't it Petallus? She's been trusted to carry on in her job as PCSO, so maybe they were giving her mixed messages if they then said they wouldn't employ her as a PC. I get the impression some case law is needed on this situation, hence the leave to appeal.

Thanks for the info when.

I do feel that there is sometimes a case, when an offence is committed years ago, to give the person concerned another chance.

Perhaps the issue is not the offence itself but the fact that she failed to disclose it when asked. A Police Officer needs to be trustworthy and to my mind there is something rather dubious about an applicant who either chooses to keep quiet or 'forgets' about an offence committed in the past.

Just read a bit more about this. She was already employed by the police and applied for a PC job a few years ago, which is when the offence came to light (why didn't it show up when she was first employed as a PCSO?). It was theft from employer 20 years ago, for which she was conditionally discharged. This becomes a non-sentence if no further offences are committed duing the period of discharge, which is usually up to 2 years. She was told a few years ago she wouldn't be given a PC job, so left it a few years and tried again. Sounds like it could be a test case.

A previous conviction for shoplifting should not be a barrier to employment within the Criminal Justice System. It all depends on how long ago it was, and whether it was something she has put firmly in the past. I wonder whether it was the way she reacted to the offence disclosure that has caused this problem? Perhaps the judge could see some discrepancies in how it has been dealt with, despite her strange response, and she will have legal advice informing her that this conviction cannot be the sole reason for being rejected. Some judges go to great pains to show justice has been seen to be done.