Hi All
I have messaged on here previously regarding my conviction.
To recap, I was convicted of SA (touching) and given a high-level community order which has now ended. I had been seeing my PO on a monthly basis, but that's now finished. I still have 3 years left on the SOR. I have no ancillary orders. I would expect a basic DBS to be clear. There was no media coverage and nothing is online. I've been having PPU visits every 6 months.
My conduct rules at work required I inform them if I'm charged with an offence. As soon as I was interviewed by the police I got a sick note from the GP which I extended over 3 months beyond the hearing. After the hearing I still hadn't informed my ex-employer and didn't know if I should. Having initially decided to resign before sentencing upon advice from my legal friend, I then received an email from my barrister who was due to represent me at the sentencing. It was generally agreed a custodial sentence was unlikely, but he advised I was effectively committing sick pay fraud in his view so I should actually inform my ex-employer before sentencing. He charged me 300 quid for a letter which detailed the offence and how I had misunderstood the situation. He described the offence in graphic detail mentioning genitalia, and also quoted the act of legislation. He said there would be a chance of keeping my job. Incredibly, he advised me to send my ex-employer the letter 2 weeks before my original sentencing date even though a non-custodial sentence was expected. My sentencing was then postponed. At the time I was working for a financial services company.
After more pressure from my barrister I sent the letter to my ex-employer even though there had been no publicity. This was just 4 weeks before the revised sentencing date. I had been off sick for 3 months and was genuinely worried that my barrister's claims about sick pay fraud would come to fruition. To and my horror, my ex-employer then got a senior executive to attend my hearing. No media except him. I didn't know who he was at the time and assumed he was just someone taking notes. MY EX-EMPLOYER HAD ACTUALLY ATTENDED my sentencing. This was revealed to me during the disciplinary process at work.
I was subsequently put through the disciplinary process at work and they obviously already knew about my sentence. I was then subsequently sacked.
I feel like a complete idiot now. It's clear that there was never any chance of keeping my job upon disclosing that offence, especially if employed by a big corporate company. It's now clear in retrospect that he did the necessary regarding my court case but had little interest in securing my long-term future.
I gained nothing by disclosing but lost my job, future employment prospects and, most importantly, my reputation.
I was sacked 19 months ago and have not worked since. How on earth do I explain getting sacked from a well-paid job in finance where I was earning double the average salary, and my lack of employment since? My basic DBS should be clear but I have the barrier of being sacked from my previous job, lots of ex-colleagues probably knowing about my conviction and SOR status. I also have a gap of 18 months on my CV and counting.
I'm very worried about all my former colleagues knowing about my case and my SOR status. Very worried indeed.
Clearly I should have said nothing or resigned.
Does anyone have any advice how I move forward?