"Unspent convictions? "

[Svengoolie 3]

A user from the UK used the term "unspent convictions" and I wonder what that means?  Icd like a real person's answer not an "official,  legal" answer.

[Alex]

With criminal convictions, a certain amount of time has to pass without you reoffending before you stop having to declare them when applying for jobs (not declaring an unspent conviction is in itself an offense) or applying for insurance and so on. Basic checks don't reveal these offenses although even when spent they still remain on your record and higher level checks will still declare them.