A CARER has been struck off the register after sending unsolicited penis images to several of his colleagues.
Alexander McLean pleaded guilty to sending explicit images to four of his female colleagues at Falkirk Sheriff Court earlier this year.
On one occasion McLean, from Falkirk, also sent a sexual message accompanying an image.
After the string of incidents between February and May of 2020 the 31-year-old was sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
The former support worker also lost his job at the care home, which he had worked at for eight years.
On Wednesday the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) ruled that McLean’s fitness to practice had been impaired and issued him with a removal order.
In their decision the panel wrote: “[you] did cause her to look at a sexual image for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming them, in that you did repeatedly send her sexually explicit images depicting a penis.”
The SSSC also noted that the repetition in McLean’s behaviour highlighted “deep-seated attitudinal issues”.
The SSSC did however acknowledge that the former carer had no previous history with the SSSC and also noted that he had apologised to his former employer.
The panel continued: “You have apologised but there is no evidence that you have taken any steps to change your behaviour.
“We don’t have reassurance that you won’t repeat the behaviour which places people at risk of harm.
“Members of the public would not be happy about you working as a social services worker after acting in this way.
“Your behaviour was deliberate, highly offensive and crude.
“Your behaviour caused upset, distress and emotional harm to your colleagues.
“Your behaviour, if repeated, could place female colleagues at risk of emotional harm.”
Justifying their decision to strike McLean from the register the panel added: “A warning would not be appropriate as the behaviour is at the higher end of seriousness and impairment.
“You haven’t provided enough assurances that a warning would change your behaviour.”
