Criminal Records & Police Caution Questions and Answers

Articles on the law and procedure related to the retention and disclosure of police data, criminal records, including police cautions and arrests. Covering topics such as how long records can be retained, when they can be disclosed, what information the police can gather and retain, how police records can impact employment, travel and other areas, and how and when police records and data can be deleted.

21 07, 2026

What Happens After a Police Caution Is Deleted?

By |July 21st, 2026|Tags: , , , |

By Matt Elkins, Solicitor Advocate and Director of Legisia Legal Services – published in the Criminal Law Review and author of the Westlaw UK Insight on Police Cautions. Last updated: July 2026 The short answer: when a caution is deleted from the Police National Computer, the record is gone for DBS purposes – it

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21 07, 2026

Can I Appeal a Police Caution?

By |July 21st, 2026|Tags: , , , , |

By Matt Elkins, Solicitor Advocate and Director of Legisia Legal Services – published in the Criminal Law Review and author of the Westlaw UK Insight on Police Cautions. Last updated: July 2026 The short answer: there is no formal appeal process against a police caution. Once a caution has been accepted, no court or

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26 03, 2025

Deletion of Arrest Records for Rape Allegations

By |March 26th, 2025|Tags: , , , , , |

In the last 12 months, we have successfully removed 6 different arrest records from the Police National computer (PNC) related to rape allegations. Rape and sexual assault are one of the most serious crimes anyone can be accused of, and the stigma that is attached to sexual offences is particularly damaging. The police have

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20 03, 2025

Navigating Immigration to Saudi Arabia with a Police Caution

By |March 20th, 2025|Tags: , , , , |

If you’re exploring the possibility of moving to Saudi Arabia but have a criminal record, including a police caution from the UK, you may face some difficulties. This guide provides insights into how your record might be revealed and when, and how a police caution might affect your ability to travel, work, and live

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20 09, 2024

Enforced Subject Access, Criminal Records & Overseas Employment

By |September 20th, 2024|Tags: |

What is Enforced Subject Access? Under Section 184 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) it is illegal to require a person to provide a “relevant record” in relation to recruitment for a job, continuing employment, or when providing services to the public. What is a “Relevant Record”? Relevant records under

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22 05, 2024

Removing a Police Caution for Assault or ABH

By |May 22nd, 2024|Tags: , , |

ABH and receiving a Police Caution Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) is a criminal offence under Section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. It is an intermediate level of assault, more serious than common assault but less so than Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). ABH is committed when a person intentionally or

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1 11, 2023

What are the new Diversionary and Community Cautions and how will they affect you?

By |November 1st, 2023|Tags: , , , |

Current status (checked July 2026): the Diversionary and Community Caution provisions of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 have still not been brought into force – commencement remains “to be determined”. Simple and conditional cautions continue to be issued as before. We review this page regularly and will update it if a

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26 10, 2023

Will a police caution affect a visa to the US or China?

By |October 26th, 2023|Tags: , , , , , , , |

If you have ever been arrested, cautioned, warned, or issued with a penalty notice by the police, you may be wondering if this will affect your ability to travel or immigrate to another country. The answer to this question depends on several factors, such as the type and severity of the offence, the outcome

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17 10, 2023

How to Delete Your Local Police Records

By |October 17th, 2023|Tags: , , , , , |

If you have ever been arrested, cautioned, convicted, warned, issued with a penalty notice, or simply questioned by the police, you may have a local police record that could affect your future opportunities. Local police records are different from national police records, which are held on the Police National Computer (PNC). Local police records

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22 08, 2023

How to Remove a Police Caution from the PNC

By |August 22nd, 2023|Tags: , , , , |

A police caution can be removed from the Police National Computer (PNC). This can be achieved by applying to the police forced who issued you with the caution, this is usually done through ACRO's record deletion process. If the police do not agree to remove your caution, you may be able to apply for

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