Forfar carer banned after embezzling £3k

A Forfar carer who “abused” her position of trust by embezzling £3,000 from a client has been banned from the profession.

Sarah Ali embezzled the money while working as a carer for a woman who lived in the town in 2022.

She initially lied to the woman about unexplained blank cheques, claiming they must have been HMRC payments.

But the carer later confessed to taking the money and paid back the full sum before police were contacted.

Ali was handed unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody after admitting the embezzlement at Forfar Sheriff Court earlier this year.

She has now been struck off as a carer by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

Forfar carer struck off after embezzling £3k from ‘vulnerable’ woman

A report by the watchdog said: “Although you were not working in a registerable social services role at the time of the offence, you were employed in an equivalent role as a private carer.

“You abused your position of trust and exploited a vulnerable individual you were employed to support.

“Being convicted of a crime of dishonesty, particularly while acting in a privileged position of trust, calls into question your values.

“Your conviction is of a serious nature, and it demonstrates you have engaged in dishonest behaviour which undermines trust in social services.

“Such behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration.

“Honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the social services profession, which have been breached by your actions.”

The SSSC report added there was a “risk” that similar behaviour could be repeated and that there were “significant public concerns” over the conduct.