A former Angus support worker has been struck off after he punched a co-worker in the face at a secure unit for vulnerable youths.
Gordon Riach punched the man during an incident at Rossie Young People’s Trust last year, which a governing body found to be “fundamentally incompatible” with continuing as a social service worker.
He has been removed from the professional register by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) with immediate effect, following a hearing in Dundee.
Mr Riach admitted the facts of the investigation at an early stage, and demonstrated regret to the colleague “immediately after” the incident near Montrose on July 6.
The council decided there was evidence that Mr Riach had behaved in a threatening manner towards the colleague, known as AA, challenging him to a fight, and that he struck or slapped him on the face, causing him harm or risk of harm in the process.
The SSSC also found he had failed to comply with an interim order on November 6 by which he failed to submit evidence on a monthly basis as directed.
Mr Riach consented to the imposition of a removal order on April 24.
The summary of findings states: “Social service workers and other workers have the right to expect that they will be treated with dignity and respect and their health and safety protected by their social service colleagues.
“Your behaviour in challenging your colleague to a fight and then physically striking him across the face constituted a failure to treat your colleague with dignity and respect, demonstrated an unacceptable disregard for your colleague, was a misuse of power and position and was behaviour which was incompatible with a person registered with the council.”
The panel decided that there was also a risk of harm to a female service user nearby who overheard the incident between the colleagues.
The incident took place at a secure unit for troubled and vulnerable children, some of whom had been exposed to violence in the past.
The council decided there was a risk of future violent behaviour and removed him from the register.
RYPT head of operations David Mitchell said: “Rossie Young People’s Trust does not comment on matters relating to individual members of staff.
“Rossie is highly committed to providing a safe working environment for all staff and young people.
“Our policies and governing codes of conduct ensure a transparent employee responsibility to treat colleagues and young people in our care with dignity and respect.”
