Hi
Many will of read my previous words and may remember my situation.
If all goes to plan I will apply to the Courts at the end of the month for my last 3 SOPO conditions to be removed. It has been a long journey; mainly utilising the self-belief I try to maintain.
I have discovered many things I was not aware of, confirmed my suspicions on certain elements but, enabled to show "the system" that though I challenge it is not out of anger and self pity, it is by using their tools; the SO Act and procedures, and so confidently and calmly and always replying courteously with the facts. 

If you provide the facts they cannot simply say no, they have to give a qualified reason or you simply ask again

If they disagree because of their interpretation on words, you gain the supportive evidence that confirms your words. Be that the police Policy College, the Home Office Sex Offender management Team or quite simply slow reading of the SO Act and the Guideline documents. Remember the Act may say one thing but if it refers to another document follow the links and you may find that you are correct.

Society may take things at face value but you don't have to

One point I raised with my ex solicitors and they supported the Force Solicitor. However my PPU read ALL the references I presented and they support my case. It is only because I have that support in writing I am proceeding with my application.     

Remember, your presentation is you, therefore even if it fails it could present a view of you the "system" has never seen before and therefore improve their view of you. 

I am not using a solicitor; but if you have their documents from previous applications you have the basis of the "legal references" they use.

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.

Haha, thanks! I've probably forgotten loads of stuff but everyone's case is going to be slightly different anyway.

One thing I really had to get my head around was that, at first, I wanted to point out: ‘This is wrong, my ppu stopped me from…, this is disproportionate… ‘ etc but after seeking advice, the ‘recalibration’ of my mindset changed to the message being: “This stipulation can be removed from my order because…’ 

So with that in mind, disproportionate ones should be easier to discharge. This is a silly example, but if a stipulation was ‘don’t eat salmon’, it’s easy to get rid of that stipulation because I can say “I don’t like salmon, I’m not a fan of any seafood, I prefer eating burgers, sometimes with chips, and enjoy experimenting with different sauces.” Rather than just saying: “This shouldn’t say salmon!”

Believe me, I could put a whole load of gherkin stuff in there about PPUs and why I think it’s disproportionate but the police/judge won’t want to hear it. For me, this did take a while to sink in. Once I read my first draft, I was disappointed with it, thinking: “Is this the best of my last five years?” After the ‘recalibration’, the final draft is now much stronger and, actually, I’ve only mentioned the police once in the whole thing. It’s your order and you need to show you’re able to live positively without it to get it discharged.

With your SAR, have a look at if there’s any positive feedback from the leaders from the Horizon course. Yes, do another one if you think it'll help and you've made more progress since the last one. I can't guarantee it'll work but it was just an idea of being able to quote a source that the judge/police can trust. But also what is written might vary from force to force. Having had two forces I’ve had the ability to compare, Force A recorded positive steps and progress can be seen in the notes, Force B constant gaslighting and making stuff up as they go along, honestly, it’s like night and day, so this may not work for everyone, it’s just a potential free avenue for information.

As for overall cost, I’m sure someone on this forum did it all themselves and is currently in the process of… or had success. At the end of the day, you’re five years on, you may not even realise how much you’ve changed since before the knock. You’ve had to deal with a lot and will continue to do so. Yes, in certain ways we’ve brought it on ourselves but everyone deserves a chance to be able to move on.

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Fighting or Accepting - its difficult to know which is right and when.

That was actually a nice and clear way of explaining the process and what to include, Although it has also made me quite hungry lol
I have managed to get some impartial advice from various solicitors who were kind enough to discuss their thoughts with me on my SHPO and have agreed that some of the restrictions are disproportionate. I feel highlighting this although briefly would be of benefit where I can proceed to detail the positives since sentencing. I will not be able to afford a solicitor for this but I am aware that varying or applying to discharge a SHPO does fall under legal aid, providing the firm choose to let this happen.

I was able to sort out a subject access request some time ago, oddly 50% of what I got was redacted but I was able to get an unredacted copy from my solicitors, sadly nothing in what I was given contains anything positive. Perhaps I should request another and ask for any reports my PPU have written?

Although I find this new PPU much easier to deal with, I do not have faith in changing his "opinions" as these seem to cloud the actual facts. They are so tight that they refuse to provide me their emails so I can discuss things with them in writing. Should I continue speaking to him about my application to try and convince him or his superior?

Thanks JASB. I'm also glad to hear you're making progress.

For me, I was chomping at the bit on the turn of midnight on the 5 year mark to get the ball rolling. I’m not going to voluntarily live with a SHPO if there’s a chance I can get rid of it, I’ve had enough of its suffocating grasp on my life and when its sheer existence means I *must* tell random strangers what I did almost 7 years ago. It’s dangerous and mentally it’s reliving my punishment again and again when what I’m trying to achieve is progress. When that attempt is unsuccessful it’s a double-whammy of disappointment and an increasingly difficult test of resilience. If it wasn’t for the SHPO keeping me unspent, the conviction would actually be spent by now. This is just wrong and, arguably, helps to undermine what it’s supposed to achieve in the first place.

As for tips for an application… while writing this I’ve somehow ended up using a burger as an analogy, probably because I’m hungry. Anyway… 
Bread: Have you done everything asked of you in terms of the sentence and order specifically (By this I mean what is in black and white and not additional capricious rules made up by the ppu)? Eg. Horizon course and any other things like that. Has there been any more reoffending, no. Has there been any breaches of the SHPO, no. Have there been any other arrests or issues, no. (If you answer yes to any of these but still want to put an application in, then seek legal advice… in fact, I’d suggest to seek legal advice anyway even if you can say no to all of these).
Meat: Get some positive documents together, from a therapist, make a subject access request (it’s free) and highlight positives written about you. Character references, especially if they can prove you have positive relationships with young people but don’t worry if not. Employers perhaps. Any kind of independent evidence that can vouch for you.
Tomato sauce to enhance the meaty points: Explain why you’re remorseful and contrite, tackle *why* you ignored the “I shouldn’t do this” but don’t use excuses like stress, explain why you WILL listen to “I shouldn’t do this”. How you’ve got your life in order SINCE conviction. Lessons learned. Take care with this because a tasteless sauce can ruin a nice burger.
Lettuce: The feel-good bit of salad. Work/voluntary work/positive routines or contributions (especially if it’s something new that you didn’t do before the knock). Hopes and goals for the future.
Gherkin: Finally, for me this was important, take out the gherkin! Try not to complain, moan, or air your issues. I’ve taken legal advice and have had to park all my grievances for now. I have a number of questions I want answered and complaints about what I’ve had to put up with from my PPUs but this application process is not about that. Leave out the gherkin to be dealt with later.

As for the process, It'll probably vary per area. Your force will have a say but I'm sure they have more important things to deal with but when they do they can probably affect how easy or tricky the time in front of the judge will be. I'll update if I have anything relevant.

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Fighting or Accepting - its difficult to know which is right and when.

I am also past the 5 year mark and I keep meaning to sort out my application but I am putting it off as I am always over thinking it.
Do I basically email the courts or write to them with my application or even contact them by phone?
What kind of things in my application should I include? Something like I wish to apply to discharge the SHPO because. 1, It is not smith compliant ect? Should I give evidence also or wait till the hearing (if there is one)
I never bothered with applying to vary the SHPO as I figured it would just be easier to try and discharge it entirely and if that failed to push for the amendments.
I have tried speaking to my PPU about amendments and such and he is not supportive and wants me to endure the next 5 years. What should I be asking him for which might go in my favour?

Any tips and advice is always appreciated. I hope your own applications are successful.

Hi
First I wish you luck.
My first application which removed all but 3 contact ones ( 2 standard under 16yrs and 1 with female), took most of period getting the PPU to agree,  circa 2 mths.
I am now building the case to remove those 3.
At present it has taken 6 mths to get the PPU to agree (so not wasting trip to court if they will not), but conversations with the Court say once PPU report applied for and reviewed then possibly a month for Judge to have a hearing or treat in chambers.
 
So to me you should ask the Court admin and your PPU officer if he has a report done already or time to complete one.
Hope you are successful.



Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.

I appreciate I am asking how long is a piece of string but for those who have been through the process of discharging SHPOs... can you give me a timeframe of how it panned out for you please?
I know different areas will have different backlogs, there's a fat bloke dressed in red making his annual appearance next month etc
Having endured 5 draining years, I've sent my application off and I'm told 'the spring' but I'd hope it'd be quicker or might that sound about right?

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Fighting or Accepting - its difficult to know which is right and when.

Excuse the mini-rant. Anyone else fed up with when you're reaching out to talk about employment and you mention criminal record, it's assumed you just want to work on a building site. I understand that maybe the majority of us scallywags who break the law perhaps fit that bill, but for those of us who don't... 

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Fighting or Accepting - its difficult to know which is right and when.

Thanks. Great idea and info. It's often these simple yet good ideas that elude my brain! Cheers

Well one thing I found fairly useful was actually Indeed and Glassdoor for application questions. Basically just Googling various companies like "Does [COMPANY] DBS/Disclosure check" then, depending on the size of the company, you'll tend to find a few people asking the same question on either of those sites and typically you'll get an answer.

In my experience the ones that don't do a DBS/Disclosure check seldom ask about convictions in their application form. It can usually give you a rough indicator if its worth pursuing or if you're wasting your time.