A Dundee care worker was subjected to a four-year post-Jimmy Savile “vendetta” according to the Unite union.
Senior residential care worker Colin Melrose was told last week he could resume working with children following a hearing by the Scottish Social Services Council.
But a senior union figure has accused Dundee City Council of an abuse of power and claimed officers “distorted” information as part of an “agenda” against Mr Melrose that led to his family suffering “four years of torment”.
Mr Melrose was cleared by the Scottish Social Services Council of a string of allegations relating to his conduct towards a teenage girl in his care.
However, it was found he has behaved inappropriately by asking the girl if she shaved her pubic area and asked her to show him.
He claimed it was after she complained to him of suffering a rash.
Following the hearing, Mr Melrose was told he could return to his position as a care worker but will have to undergo supervision sessions at least once a week for the first six weeks, and thereafter at least monthly with a manager in a position to observe his day-to-day practice.
Richard Whyte, regional officer for Unite the Union, has said the mild sanctions imposed on Mr Melrose show he has been the victim of a witch-hunt.
Mr Whyte said: “Our member Colin Melrose and his family have been subjected to four years of torment.
“After the initial allegations were made about him by the council, the police investigated and no evidence was found.
“In the era of Jimmy Saville’s horrible crimes then my belief is the slightest suspicion of wrongdoing would have led to a painstaking investigation for someone in Mr Melrose’s position.”
Mr Whyte added the council’s own internal disciplinary investigation had cleared Mr Melrose of misconduct and there was “clear evidence of bias” by council management and its social work department.
He added: “Then the Scottish Social Services Council Hearing process began and concluded that 13 of 14 allegations made by Dundee City Council’s social work management were unfounded.
“The one remaining issue was a question that Mr Melrose asked after a young girl displayed a rash at the top of her thigh and he tried to establish if it was a shaving rash.
“Mr Melrose admitted from the outset that he asked a question about this and accepted with hindsight he should have dealt with this matter in a better way.
“The SSSC has the power to suspend care workers from working for a period of time or remove them completely from the register of workers. In Mr Melrose’s case they decided to sanction him with a warning and extra supervision.”
Mr Whyte said he believes the council has “an agenda” against Mr Melrose.
“Mr Melrose is not able to defend himself in public as Dundee City Council’s rules prevent this,” he said.
“I believe that some people at Dundee City Council have had an agenda against Mr Melrose, have acted disgracefully and have actively distorted information to try to bring him into disrepute. They have abused their position of power.
“Unite will defend its members from false accusations and management’s vendettas to the best of our ability.
“I am seeking a meeting with the council chief executive, councillors and MPs to discuss our concerns and bring Mr Melrose and his family’s years of torment to an end.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said they would not comment on individual staffing matters.
