SPENT convictions should not ruin an employee's career prospects say Dorset business owners.

This comes as BBC Radio 4's Face the Facts programme has reported that requests have been made by employers to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) for gardening and bricklaying jobs and that bosses learn about spent convictions that should not be disclosed.

Spent convictions arise where offenders have either been imprisoned for less than two-and-a-half years or have received a non-custodial sentence but have not reoffended during the rehabilitation period (of between six months and 10 years, depending on the offence).

Once a conviction is spent, the person is not obliged to declare its existence when applying for work. The only exceptions are if they want to work with children or vulnerable adults.

Richard Biddlecombe, owner of landscape gardening business Gardens 4 U in Wimborne said: "I have two employees. One has been with me for one-and-a-half years while the other has been employed for four months.

"I don't use CRB checks but during the interview do ask whether they have a criminal record.

"I expect honesty and if staff aren't it comes back to bite them. But kids do stupid things and I don't think that should ruin career prospects - they should be given a second chance."

Mr Biddlecombe coaches football and has been CRB checked. "It's a good idea if you work with children but I don't think it's necessary for gardeners."

Chris Kane, director of Greendale Construction in Poole believes that CRB checks are worthwhile but that minor indiscretions should not affect employability.

"It does depend what they've done though - you wouldn't employ someone convicted of fraud in a bank would you?"

Mr Kane thinks that employers do need to know a person's history.

He said: "A number of our blue chip clients and schools will not allow access to their premises without a CRB check."

Colin Jamieson, regional organiser of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) added that perhaps employers are checking up to try and hurry the system along "because it takes up to six months to carry out a CRB check".