A housing worker who sent pictures of his genitals to a vulnerable man and allowed him to perform a sex act on him has been struck off.
Alexander Munro has been banned from the profession after entering into a sexual relationship with the service user while working in Dundee.
The support worker sent the explicit photograph of himself while aroused, with a message saying: “Look who’s popped up to say hello”, a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) hearing was told.
‘Let your hair down’
He also let the man come round to his home so that he could “let his hair down”.
The hearing was also told that Munro had sent several messages to the man calling him “babes” and “hun”.
He also kissed the man and allowed him to perform a sex act on him – actions the watchdog branded “an abuse of trust” which “resulted in emotional and psychological harm”.
Munro also sent messages to the individual, saying: “You will have to come back to mine next week as we still have more f****** to do” – or words to that effect.
Denied all allegations
The report said the incidents took place between, on, or around March 30 2020 and
January 22 this year, but did not state which housing service he was working for at the time.
Munro denied the allegations against him and told investigators that the man had made them up.
However, officers found the allegations to be proven, and said Munro had “shown no insight, regret or remorse” into his behaviour.
The findings said: “Social service workers must not form inappropriate relationships with people who use services. They must also recognise and use responsibly the power and authority they have when working with people who use services.
‘Abused your power’
“The behaviour represents an abuse of the trust placed in you for caring for vulnerable service users. Behaviour of this nature is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration.
“While the service user involved had full capacity, there were aspects to their life that made them vulnerable.
“By nature of the worker and service user relationship, there is a power imbalance and you abused the power of the professional relationship that you are required to maintain.
“The power imbalance and vulnerability of the service user is a concern to the SSSC and such a relationship should not be entered into due to the impact of this imbalance on questions of consent.”
Emotional and psychological harm
The report said Munro’s behaviour was “extremely serious” and “created a risk of confusion to a vulnerable service user as to what is expected of a professional relationship and the support that can be provided to them”.
It added: “If your behaviour were to be repeated, other service users would be placed at risk of emotional and psychological harm.
“The behaviour is such that the public interest aspect is engaged. For these reasons, your current fitness to practise is impaired.”
Munro was banned from the profession from May 26.
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