The Court of Appeal has ruled that the law which requires people to disclose all previous convictions to certain employers is a breach of human rights. The Home Office said it was "disappointed."
The law which requires some jobseekers to disclose all cautions or criminal convictions in England and Wales should be overturned in Parliament, according to Judges at the Court of Appeal today.
They found in favour of a 21-year-old man who had to tell employers that he had stolen a bike when he was aged just 11. That, the judges said, had breached his human rights as our UK Editor, Lucy Manning explains.
The human rights group Liberty has reacted to the Court of Appeal judgement by calling on the Government to introduce a more nuanced CRB system.
It says "irrelevant and unreliable information has blighted lives for too long."
The Home Office says it's "disappointed" by the judgement and is seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. "The protection of children and vulnerable groups must not be compromised."
The case challenging so-called CRB checks was brought by a 21-year-old man, who was given warnings by police over a bicycle theft, at the age of 11.
He had to disclose that information when he applied for university and a job.
The Court of Appeal has now ruled that the law forcing people to disclose all previous convictions on CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks is a breach of human rights.
Three judges in the Court of Appeal have ruled that the law which requires people to disclose all previous convictions to certain employers is a breach of human rights.