A SCOTS carer has been issued a warning after she attempted to bite a police officer before failing to tell her workplace of the subsequent conviction.
Lynne Mullholland was handed the 12 month warning yesterday in a hearing in front of care watchdog the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
Mulholland from Glasgow was employed as a support worker for care service Real Life Options when she was convicted at Glasgow Sheriff Court in August 2021 of the May 2020 assault of a police officer.
The carer then failed to inform the Scottish Social Services Council of this conviction between 17 May 2020 and 23 June 2020.
In the SSSC’s decision to impose the warning, they said: “While employed as a support worker at Real Life Options in Glasgow, you did:
“On 31 August 2021 at Glasgow Sheriff Court you were convicted of an offence contrary to section 90(1) of the Police Fire and Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 in that:
“You did assault AA, Police Constable, the Police Service of Scotland, and did attempt to bite him on the body, contrary to the Police Fire and Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 section 90(1)(a).
“Between 17 May 2020 and 23 June 2020, you did fail to inform the Scottish Social Services Council, your regulatory body that you had been charged with the criminal offence in allegation 1.”
The panel agreed that Mullholland’s fitness to practice was impaired.
They stated: “Your fitness to practise is impaired because of your conviction at allegation 1 and your misconduct at allegation 2.”
“Social service workers are expected not to behave, while in or outside work, in a way which would bring their suitability to work in social services into question.
“This behaviour involved assaulting and attempting to bite a police officer who was acting in the course of his duties, which is violent and involved a loss of self-control.
“This behaviour involved failing to inform the SSSC that you had been charged for assaulting and attempting to bite a police officer.
“The SSSC only became aware of this when the matter was referred to us by your employer.
“This resulted in you being convicted of this offence.”
Summarising their decision to impose a warning and nothing more, the panel agreed that the incident was isolated, and not a pattern of behaviour.
They added: “After referring to our Decisions Guidance, we decided the appropriate sanction is to place a warning on your registration for a period of 12 months.
“The behaviour involved assaulting a police officer in the course of their duty. You have provided limited insight into the allegations.”
