Industry regulators the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) removed Leigh-anne McCartney – who was most recently employed in Saltcoats – from their register following a three-day hearing looking into a number of allegations last month.
During the virtual fitness to practise hearings, which McCartney did not attend, several allegations were found to be proven by a panel, who concluded that her behaviour “was such an egregious breach of your duties as a social services worker that it was incompatible with continuing registration”.
A report added that members of the public would be “shocked and offended” if she remained registered with the SSSC after the findings.
The incidents initially relate to a period from June 2022 until April 2023 when McCartney was employed as a care assistant in Kilwinning.
According to a report published online, she had formed a relationship with a male service user referred to as AA and attempted to have sexual intercourse with him while within a car at an undisclosed location.
It was also found that, on one unknown date, she had sex with the unnamed man at a Premier Inn hotel – and on various dates she did the same in a basement area underneath an unrevealed location.
The panel also found that McCartney engaged in further misconduct after she became aware that her behaviour had been reported to her then-employer.
The report states that she entered the service user’s bedroom and took his phone, before clearing data from the device in an “attempt to conceal” their relationship.
Further findings reveal more acts of misconduct after McCartney left her employment in Kilwinning on April 19, 2023.
It was noted that she was aware that the SSSC was investigating allegations that she was in, or had previously been in, a sexual relationship with AA.
With this knowledge, it was found that McCartney phoned the service user and informed him of her new place of employment.
It is added that on a date in July 2023 she called AA and told him “I love you” – or words to that effect.
She also phoned him on another date that month and said “hi darling” or similar during their call.
Then, around November 22 the same year, it was found that McCartney told AA that if he said anything, in reference to their relationship, she would “get (him) done with rape” – or words to that effect.
The last matter of misconduct found to be proven by the panel refers to a text message sent by McCartney to AA in March last year.
It read: “You talk so much s***e it’s unreal. Never once have I said I don’t care or love u. I am sick of the drama. I’m in bits too. I have done nothing wrong at all. U believe what u like.
“I don’t want to talk because its [sic] drama I can be doing without. I’ll see how I feel tomorrow and if I get any sleep.
“U have totally broke me. I cannot cope. I don’t need ur apology [AA]. Sorry means nothing now. Ur always sorry. Say and do what u want. I am officially broken. Bye.”
The SSSC report said: “The panel concluded that the allegations which were found proved were extremely serious. It was satisfied that the conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct.
“You engaged in a prolonged sexual affair with a vulnerable service user. You were in a position of trust in respect of AA and you betrayed that trust. A number of witnesses spoke to the fact that AA did not properly appreciate the risks associated with his behaviour.
“Your conduct constituted an egregious breach of the professional boundaries which ought to exist between social services workers and service users. The conduct found proved amounts to sexual misconduct, dishonesty and abuse of a position of trust.”
Various other allegations, including that she sent the service user explicit photos of herself, engaged in phone sex with him, accepted money, trainers and perfume from him, and gifted him clothing and cash, were found not proven.
McCartney’s removal from the care register was considered the only appropriate sanction.
The report continued: “There was little basis to conclude that you had remedied your behaviour, nor that the risk of repetition was low. You showed no concern for AA’s wellbeing.
“The decisions guidance suggests that more serious action may be required in cases which involve sexual misconduct, dishonesty, and abuse of a position of trust. All of those factors were present in this case and weighed in favour of a more serious sanction.
“Ultimately, the panel concluded that your conduct was such an egregious breach of your duties as a social services worker that it was incompatible with continuing registration.
“If you continued to work in social services, you would present an unacceptable risk to service users.”
McCartney was removed from the register as of December 25 – when the meeting outcome was published.