Crawford’s bid to clear his record is backed by gay organizations looking to help others who were convicted under Britain’s once Draconian antihomosexuality laws, which began to be eased in 1967 as social values changed and sex acts between consenting adults began to be decriminalized.
“These laws were homophobic in the first place, that’s why they were rescinded, but the laws are still penalizing people,’’ said Deborah Gold, director of Galop, a gay rights group that has helped Crawford. “We’ve always had a regular trickle of people asking about it - how to get their records cleaned up.’’
She said Crawford suffered horrific treatment from the police and should not have to disclose his criminal conviction when seeking employment or volunteer work.
His lawyers wrote to Justice Secretary Jack Straw recently asking that the law be changed so that Crawford and others in his position would not have to disclose their convictions during the job interview process.
If no action is taken by March 12, attorneys will seek a formal judicial review because the policy is not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, said lawyer Anna Mazzola.
“John Crawford wants to do it, to change the law for other people,’’ she said. “Others are in exactly the same position. The justice secretary has the power to do this, without going through Parliament.’’
Mazzola’s firm has also filed a freedom of information request for data about the number of people convicted of consensual sexual offenses that would now be legal. “I think there are quite a lot,’’ she said.
Crawford’s legal campaign has already been productive. In response to a letter from his lawyers, police have removed the record of his conviction from the criminal database, meaning it will not turn up during a computerized criminal records search.
Crawford is not satisfied, however, because he is still legally required to reveal the 1959 episode when asked if he has ever been convicted of any criminal offense. This happens frequently on questionnaires when applying for volunteer work with vulnerable persons.
“I think it’s ridiculous,’’ Crawford said.
