Force to face legal review over retention of boy`s `Obscene Publications` offence

The mother of a boy who sent a naked photograph of himself to a girl has won the right to a judicial review over Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP’s) refusal to delete his details from its database. Aged 14 at the time, the boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was not arrested or charged, but the incident was recorded by the force and will appear alongside his name indefinitely. His mother said she was worried GMP could disclose the information to potential employers when he is older. Sitting in Manchester on Friday (November 10), the High Court has granted permission for a judicial review to change the rules and have his name deleted from the force’s records. More than two years ago, the boy sent a naked photograph over social media to a girl at school, who then shared the image with others. GMP took no action against him other than to log on its database that he had taken and sent an “indecent” image of himself, recorded under a section called “Obscene Publications”. His mother was “in complete shock” when she heard what had happened, but said it “all happened in the privacy of his own bedroom”. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she added: “For all his adult life it hangs over him, and if and when he thinks `well you know what I`ll still go for this job anyway even though I know I need enhanced disclosure, and I`ll put my side of the story`, it`s all down to the discretion of a desk based police officer whether they think it needs to be shared.”