Do not be naive, there is absolutely no 'if'. The notification/alert is sent out for anyone who has to notify. Anything they can do, they will do.

BT I don't know if you would have any troubles at all with getting it, but you would have to deal with the reality that you will be going to a country where they have already been told by your own country that you are a risk, a danger to others and you are travelling to their country with the intention of committing further crimes.

Do you want to be entering into Russia and have a Russian border guard see this flash up on his screen? What do you think the next course of action would be? They have option of gathering discreet intelligence or they can stop you, question you and deny you entry into their country.

These laws are to completely discourage travel without falling foul of any human rights and they are very effective.

Of course I cannot prove it, but I would take a guess that you had a Green Notice sent out against you each time you notified you were leaving the country. These allow for a variety of different actions when you cross an international border, so perhaps they just asked for a discreet check, where you wouldn't even notice it.

I'd agree, give zero notification and limit all interactions with law enforcement.

See, so their actual plans have worked - they have prevented you from travelling due to the system. Working perfectly for them.

Yes exactly - the system as worked as intended.

And there is no recourse as technically he can travel all he wants, he just has to by law notify the authorities who will then issue a notice to the destination country that a person with a previous criminal conviction is coming to their country to commit further crimes.. but of course you're still free to go.... you're choice.

How this does not contravene human rights laws I have no idea.

I think I'll take the advice & give it a miss. I would have liked to go to a concert out there, but it's not exactly life & death. Thanks all.

Very much a long shot here but has anyone travelled or tried to travel to Russia whilst under the SOR? I'm not convinced Russia is the place I want to go to regardless of whether or not I have a spent offence, but I'm mulling it over for a short holiday. I know you need a visa, but can't find anything online saying whether I would or wouldn't be admitted. Thank you

I don't know the answer, but the criminal justice system in Russia is... well... tough. As a result of this I would be very, very careful. Russian 'detention' looks quite scary!

The system has stopped him travelling, but there was no point in him going to be turned away at the border

It'll depend on your PPU, BT. Obviously Russia isn't in the EU and so a Schengen alert 36 flag won't come up, but if your PPU informs Interpol then a green notice will be issued, which signifies that the UK believe that you "are of potential harm to the public".

Not necessarily what you want flagging up in front of some Russians face who's spoiling for a fight.

I don't say this lightly, as I think it's adherent that we should change plans because of past mistakes, but I'd steer clear until your notification time is up.

Can you back up the above statement with fact?

I know of people who have travelled outside of the EU, including myself, who have not had a flag when entering or exiting those countries. Policies may have changed more recently, and we all know that the police can be slow at adopting their own new guidelines.

Anyway, as I said, in my opinion it's best to steer clear until you're not notifying at the very least.