A SCOTS housing support worker has been struck off after sexually harassing several colleagues by cupping their breasts and tapping their backsides.
Brian Lapsley had been working for Countrywide Care Homes Limited in Falkirk when he inappropriately touched six female colleagues between 2008 and 2017.
Lapsley grabbed a colleague’s dress and pulled it forward to peer down before cupping her breast.
On another occasion he told her: “I want to touch and tweak your nipples”.
Lapsley also kissed another colleague on the neck after hugging her and later cupped her breast.
He was found to have intimidated his female colleagues and during a training day stood over a third colleague and pushed himself against her and a door.
He then tried to kiss her which left her feeling intimated.
A fourth victim was approached by Lapsley for a cuddle before he put his hand under her armpit and stroked her breast.
On another occasion he also opened his palm and brushed across the front of her chest, touching her nipple in the process.
A fifth female colleague was double tapped on the backside and called a “naughty girl” after she asked him for help with her payslip.
Another incident saw Lapsley grabbing his crotch and saying “oh I wish you would say that to me in the mornings” to her when she told a patient “time to get you up”.
A sixth colleague also said she was hugged, kissed and had her bottom fondled by Lapsley on more than one occasion.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) released documents yesterday stating that had removed Lapsley from their register following an investigation.
The SSSC called his actions “predatory” and said he showed “serious and deep-seated attitudinal issues”.
On making their decision, the SSSC said: “Social service workers are expected to treat their colleagues with dignity, respect and to maintain appropriate boundaries.
“Their colleagues have the right to expect to feel safe and protected at work.
“Your behaviour towards six separate female colleagues was abusive, demeaning, intimidating and harassing in nature.
“Your behaviour is a pattern of very concerning, and in some cases predatory, behaviour risking serious emotional and psychological harm to those colleagues.
“Your conduct appears deliberate and planned, taking place when you were alone with each of the colleagues. There is a pattern of similar behaviour over a protracted period of time.
“That, together with the nature of the behaviour, indicates serious and deep-seated values and attitudinal issues.
“Such conduct is very serious as it violates fundamental tenets of the caring profession – to protect people from harm and not to abuse others.
“We consider a removal order is the most appropriate sanction as it is both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession.”
