1. It has been estimated that up to three out of every four job applications have embellishments, and a quarter contain outright lies. In any employment sector this raises serious issues. Employers risk appointing someone to a job they are unsuited for, while missing a better candidate. It is unjust if honest people play straight while cheats get an advantage. In work with children, the stakes are even higher.
2. The headteacher who employed Soham murderer Ian Huntley as a caretaker did not follow up any references provided by Huntley. The Bichard Inquiry into the Soham murders found that the five "to whom it may concern"-style references Huntley provided were unreliable and should not have been accepted. Huntley's employment history was not adequately checked, and among its gaps was an undisclosed employer.
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