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Criminals could have their police records wiped after just six years under a secret plan that has caused fury inside the justice system.
Under controversial proposals that risk miscarriages of justice, chief constables want to axe the current rule that keeps conviction details on file until offenders turn 100.
Instead, those found guilty of offences such as shoplifting or drug possession would be removed from the huge Police National Computer (PNC) database after six years.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council proposed the radical move, in a report obtained by this newspaper, in the wake of stricter data protection laws and human rights challenges to the 100-year rule
More serious crimes, including assault or harassment, would be held for 30 years while murderers and rapists would be kept on the system until they reach 120.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council proposed the radical move, in a report obtained by this newspaper, in the wake of stricter data protection laws and human rights challenges to the 100-year rule.
The council said it recognised that it is ‘unlawful to retain personal data unless it is necessary and proportionate’.
But the proposals have caused outrage among some of the most senior figures in the criminal justice system. Top judges have ‘grave concerns’, according to internal Ministry of Justice documents.
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