Innocent man may be labeled a sex offender for 'rest of his life'
It has been a nightmare for Dan Wheeler for 15 years. It started with his wallet being stolen from his truck, and his identity stolen. Usually the trouble that follows has to do with bank or credit fraud, but Wheeler says his identity was stolen by a sex offender who was arrested and used Wheeler's name as an alias.
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Since then, Wheeler has been fighting desperately to get his identity back. He has a difficult timing getting any kind of job that involves a background check, and was recently rejected as a foster parent -- all because of a case of stolen identity.
Suffering a lifetime's stigma
ReplyDeleteFalse allegations of child abuse against teachers have a devastating effect on family life, even if the individual has been acquitted at a Crown Court hearing.
In many cases, social services become involved within that family, child protection investigations are carried out and some parents, the so-called accused, are forced to leave the marital home, because their children are deemed to be at risk of abuse, leaving the other parent with sole care of the children. There have been instances where the Local Authority has mentioned instigating and removing children into care on emergency protection orders, if the falsely accused goes any where near to the house.
Even if that person has been completely vindicated, the allegation will remain on file with the Criminal Records Bureau, preventing the person ever working with children or young people again.
Last year, then junior children's minister Baroness Morgan stated that teachers and youth workers who have had unfounded allegations made against them would have all disclosures removed from an enhanced CRB file.
With this in mind, I wrote a letter to her, stating the same should pertain to any person wrongly-accused of child abuse.
A letter arrived; Baroness Morgan had contradicted herself, her letter then mentioned that all allegations will remain on file until the person is of retirement age, but a reference would be attached to the documentation, stating that all allegations were unfounded.
The injustice will continue. Who will employ a person, if there is a question mark against their name?
A Daily Telegraph article last year mentioned that there could be well over 17,000 persons wrongly registered by the CRB.
Our members continue to campaign for the rights of these poor individuals. I will be taking on the campaign again in the next few weeks and will try and arrange a meeting with Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.
The unfortunate trauma these persons go through is totally unacceptable, their lives are blighted for ever and many are taking the harsh experience to an early grave.
Alison Stevens, Parents Against Injustice, East Goscote.
Letter that was printed in my local newspaper, re CRB issues.