Ex-burglar has medical interview

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A teenager who had a place to study medicine withdrawn after it emerged he had a burglary conviction is to be interviewed by another university.

Majid Ahmed, 18, from Bradford was told by London's Imperial College last month he could not study to become a doctor because of a "spent" conviction.

Majid who got four A grades at A-level is to be interviewed by the University of Manchester in the next few weeks.

He said: "I can show my calibre and not the criminal I'm being made out to be."

The teenager added: "This is a great opportunity for the university to see much more of me than what is on paper.

We can confirm an interview will take place The University of Manchester

"Finally someone has seen sense, I haven't got an exact interview date but it will be in two or three weeks.

"Manchester is a fantastic university, now I just want to focus on the interview."

After a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check revealed Majid has a spent conviction, Imperial College said the teenager could not be trusted as a doctor.

He was given a four-month community order as his sentence for burglary in 2005.

For under-18s in England the law considers such a conviction to be "spent" as soon as the community service is finished.

'Spent conviction'

But the General Medical Council advised that a criminal record does not bar an applicant from becoming a doctor.

A spokesman for the University of Manchester said: "We can confirm an interview will take place but cannot comment on an individual's application.

"If a candidate has a spent conviction her or she will be required to have another interview if successful."

The teenager was offered an interview at the university after successful winning an appeal when he was first rejected last year.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 states anyone wishing to be employed in the medical profession must always declare a spent conviction in applications to work or study.