Law graduate rejected by potential employers over childhood admonishment

Robert Dorrian, who had been in care since the age of four, was given a verbal warning when he was 16 which he must disclose to potential employers.

He called on MSPs yesterday to change the law so as to remove such crimes from the disclosure scheme.

The Disclosure (Scotland) Bill allows applicants the right to challenge the disclosure and have inappropriate material removed from it before it is sent to employers.

Mr Dorrian told Holyrood’s Education Committee that he had “experienced loss, fear and constant worry” in the care system, “but I think I made a good account of myself”.

He had “accrued an admonishment” at 16 and the law as it stands has made his life “more difficult than it had to be”.

He said: “I lost out on lucrative jobs, was passed over for consideration, and had to have more than one awkward conversation in my time.

“This could have been avoided. Had the recommendations in this bill been enacted years ago then I might have been in a different position than I am today.”