Scots social worker struck off after being found with indecent images of children

A SCOTS comedian turned social worker has been struck off after being found with indecent images of young children on his phone.

Ronnie Park pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court in October last year to the possession and distribution of indecent images.

The 47-year-old was found with eight indecent images, held on two different iPhones, which he distributed to friends between May 2017 and December 2019. 

The former comedian claimed he shared the images to his friends on WhatsApp as a form of “black humour”.

Park, a children’s social worker for Clackmannanshire Council, was sentenced to 270 hours of unpaid community service.

He was also added to the sex offenders register for two years. 

The Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC) yesterday revealed that they have decided to remove him from their register. 

On making the decision, the SSSC panel said: “You have been convicted of involvement in the possession and distribution of indecent images or pseudo images of children. 

“The behaviour is of the highest seriousness. You were employed as a children’s social worker. 

“Behaviour of this nature violates fundamental tenets of the profession and is not easily remediable.

“Repetition of this behaviour may place children at risk of serious harm.

“This type of behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration and is indicative of deep-seated attitudinal problems.”

In October last year, Park pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to possession and distribution of indecent images.

Prosecutor Mark Allan told the court Park admitted ownership of the device and stated he owned no others.

A cybercrime examination of Park’s phone recovered three moving indecent images of children.

During the hearing, Allan said: “These were images of children between infant age and nine years.

“Images were distributed to another by the accused using WhatsApp.”

After Park was arrested Park another iPhone was recovered from him which contained another five moving images.

Allan added: “These were children aged between six months and 11-years-old.

“These moving images were images of child exploitation.”

Park, who was also once a local Radio DJ, appears to have gone under the radar as his once highly public social channels have been removed.

His last stint in the public eye took place with fellow Scots comedian Dee Maxwell in a series of Facebook and YouTube live streams.