A SCOTS carer has been struck off after being found guilty of a lengthy rap sheet of offences, including breaking his bail conditions to assault a woman in a frenzied attack.
Benjamin Semple was convicted of several offences dating between July 2021 and January 2022, which were highlighted during his employment at Lancefield Care Home in Johnstone, Renfrewshire.
The disgraced care assistant was found to have been convicted of three offences in January 2022 at Paisley Sheriff Court, and a further three offences in August of that year at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Semple’s case at Paisley Sheriff Court found him convicted of breaking his bail conditions – which saw him ordered not to contact or approach an unnamed woman – to launch a tirade of abuse at her.
Semple, from Johnstone, visited the anonymous woman, unleashing a barrage of abuse and racial remarks, before threatening her with violence.
Semple then brandished a knife, cutting himself with it and smearing his blood on the walls before going on to ransack the address and struggling with police officers who arrived at the scene.
Semple was later convicted at Glasgow Sheriff Court of approaching the woman in July 2021 and assaulting her by seizing her by the throat, throwing a bottle at her and kicking her.
He later approached a taxi driver and repeatedly asked him to run him over, before slamming his head against the door of the taxi and kicking its wing mirror off.
Despite the six convictions, Semple further failed to notify care watchdog the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) of these, leading to a hearing to consider his fitness to practise.
The SSSC’s full report reads “You have been convicted of the assault of [information redacted] on multiple occasions and of wilfully and recklessly damaging property and this was aggravated by the fact that you breached bail conditions.
“Your convictions show a disregard for the law and falls far below the standard of conduct expected of a person registered with the SSSC.
“Your convictions have the potential to adversely affect the public’s trust and confidence in the profession.
“Your behaviour was violent and was not an isolated incident.
“It placed AA and BB at risk of physical and emotional harm and is incompatible with professional registration and violates fundamental values of the social services profession.
“This is not behaviour that would be expected from a person registered with the SSSC and risks bringing into disrepute the social services profession.
“You failed to declare the criminal proceedings to the SSSC. By taking steps to conceal your wrongdoing, we consider this to be highly concerning.
“Your behaviour is serious, and the risk of repetition remains high. Your behaviour was not isolated and demonstrated a pattern of behaviour.”
The panel agreed that Semple showed little remorse for his actions.
They stated: “You failed to recognise the consequences of your behaviour and the direct
harm your behaviour was likely to have on the individuals involved
“Your behaviour was serious and violent and demonstrated a loss of self-control.
“Your behaviour is serious, and the risk of repetition remains high. Your behaviour was not isolated and demonstrated a pattern of behaviour.”
The panel concluded that a removal was the most appropriate sanction, stating: “You acted in a violent manner resulting in a conviction.
“A condition would not be appropriate because the nature of the behaviour is indicative of attitudinal and values issues.
“There are no conditions that would address this behaviour and protect the public. Consequently, this is not an appropriate sanction.
“A warning plus conditions would not be appropriate due to the reasons outlined above.
“A suspension order would not be appropriate as your behaviour and the impairment of your fitness to practice is fundamentally incompatible with continuing registration.
“The behaviour is serious, and we have concerns about your underlying values, a suspension would not be able to address these concerns.
“Furthermore, allowing you to remain on the register albeit suspended would seriously undermine the integrity of the register and the public’s willingness to place trust and confidence in the profession.
“A suspension order would not be sufficient to adequately address the public interest concerns in this case.
“The SSSC considers 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.”
A spokesperson for Lancefield Care Home said today: “[Benjamin Semple] no longer works here and hasn’t done for over a year.
“He no longer has any connection with Lancefield Care Home.”
