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Woman's nursing dream is destroyed by a spent conviction from when she was a TEENAGER
Last updated at 02:25am on 19.07.08
Gemma Wilshaw: She stole £300 aged 16
A woman who hoped to become a nurse has had her career plans wrecked by a spent conviction dating back to when she was a 'vulnerable' teenager.
Gemma Wilshaw, 24, was thrown off her university training course after just four weeks because of a theft committed when she was 16.
Eight years ago, when she was working at a gym, she stole £300 at the request of a more senior member of staff who had befriended her.
Miss Wilshaw, who admitted theft and a related fraud charge concerning falsifying accounts when she appeared before
North Avon Juvenile Court in August 2001, was given a 12-month conditional discharge.
She said her 'horrendous' mistake was totally out of character and is the only time she has been in trouble with the law.
Miss Wilshaw, who has since held several jobs requiring a Criminal Records Bureau check, has always declared the offence on application forms when asked to do so.
However, her criminal record has never caused her a problem in the job market until now.
After deciding on a career change to a more 'caring' profession, Miss Wilshaw, who lives in Newcastle, successfully
applied for a place on a three-year nursing course at Northumbria University.
She was aware that a CRB check would be carried out for all applicants and declared her conviction when she received the appropriate form before starting in March this year.
But after the university asked for a full written account of her offence, Miss Wilshaw was told her place had been 'withdrawn'.
She said: 'I was open about the conviction - I had even discussed it with other students.
'I really didn't think it would be an issue. But I wasn't given the chance to explain myself at an interview.
'I was completely and utterly devastated. I had my heart set on becoming a nurse and had given up a full-time job to do the course.
'I had started to bond with other students and had been given my first assignments when I was thrown out.
'The day after I received the letter I was told there was no chance of an appeal. I felt lower than low. I feel as if I have been put in this box as a criminal, I'm not trustworthy and not good enough to be anything better than a certain standard in society now. I am being rejected for making myself better.'
Miss Wilshaw is now working in a part-time administrative job and is due to start training to be a plumber.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, which allows people to put minor offences behind them, does not apply to the nursing profession. The Nursing & Midwifery Council carries out a CRB check on all trainee nurses.
However, a criminal conviction does not automatically bar a person from entering the profession as each conviction is considered 'in the light of all relevant circumstances'.
Earlier this month, it was revealed how a talented medical student had his university place withdrawn because of a spent burglary conviction in 2005.
Majid Ahmed, 18, from Bradford - who achieved four A grades at A Level and won a place at Imperial College in London - was later told he could not be trusted to become a doctor.
Mr Ahmed has since been offered an interview at Manchester University.
Commenting on Miss Wilshaw's case, Mr Ahmed said: 'Do we want to live in a society without forgiveness and mercy where something you do when you are younger has to be held against you for the rest of your life? I think that is unethical.'
A spokesman for Northumbria University said it could not comment on any individual case for confidentiality reasons.
Reader views (9)
Why should a university turn down someone with one non violent petty crime that is trying to better their life, especially considering the crime happens when the person was under 18, not too mention 8 years ago?
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
No sympathy here. It's not as if she stole a bar of chocolate or something minor. She stole £300 from her employer - a grave breach of trust. When there are more people wanting to train as a nurse than there are places, why choose someone who has a criminal conviction? Gemma should start looking for a job where she doesn't have to disclose her spent misdemeanours.
- Paul Mowson, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Quote: Eight years ago, when she was working at a gym, she stole £300 at the request of a more senior member of staff who had befriended her.
So that's her excuse? And if the same is asked of her again, this time on the ward..?
- Daizy, N England
Fraud is an offence of deliberate and contrived deception, not a crime of opportunity as some would have us believe.
Wilshaw should be held up of an example of the real and lasting consequence of criminal activity, not given sympathy.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
I suspect that rather a lot of us have done something imprudent at the age of 17 which we would never consider doing now that we're grown adults. I know I have. This poor woman committed the offence eight years ago, admitted it and was punished. Surely there should be some mercy shown or what's the point of rehabilitation? It's not even as if we have thousands of trained nurses and no posts for them in this country. I suspect she'll find being a plumber much more fulfilling and lucrative and wish her the very best of luck.
- Lmd, London
Many UK universities take on far too many unsuitable students knowing many will drop out or be dumped in the first term/year. They do this to gain the up-front fee, fit the government targets, etc.. but end up with what they want for the course itself.
It's a scam that's been going on for years, why the press have never investigated is also quite interesting.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
Perhaps if all badly behaved people no matter what age they are or how long ago they committed the crime had to suffer for own their bad behavior or judgment, then and only then will it be a better world to live in.
We live in a world today where everyone blames someone or something else for their faults, have some backbone and take responsibility for your own thought process and actions.
- Kenneth Hodgson, Larnaka Cyprus
Sorry, but someone who has given way to temptation once might well choose the same route again. Does anyone want someone who has demonstrated unreliability to be in charge of their medicines; to be in charge of their family when in hospital?
Perpetual punishment is not right generally, fair enough - but there are consequences to aberrant behaviour. The way around this is to find lesser responsibilities that can demonstrate improvement.
Saying it shouldn't count if there is a one-off incidence of poor judgement, when you're asking to be trusted with other people's health and well-being, is like demanding 'best of 3', then, when that fails, 'best of 5', and when THAT fails, 'best of 7' - and so on until you get it right.
Evidence of poor judgement is evidence of poor judgement. The employers would soon be held responsible if and when that demonstrated failed personality screwed up again.
Trust me. I'm a nurse. I know these things.
- Rogan, DFW Texas
Miss Wilshaw,
I am 51 and considered by many to be a right wing conservative, due to some of my non-pc related views, they are most wrong and I am very open minded.
I believe in you; you have paid for the foolishness of youth. You should have your chance to be a nurse.
I would bet that those who decided against you have a few skeletons in their own closet - most do, even if they choose not to admit it. I further applaud your determination to put this behind you, seeking to further yourself as much as is possible. Society needs more people like you.
- Alexs, Boiling Springs, USA
