A Dundee woman says she has forgiven her business partner who took £113,000 from the nurseries they ran together without her knowing.
Stephanie Porteous has been struck off from working in the sector after the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) found she “misappropriated” the funds from nurseries in Dundee and Angus.
Regulators says she took the cash between July 2017 and January 2020.
Porteous, 36, helped run Parkview Nursery in Dundee and Lily Pond Nursery in Arbroath at the time.
She has since resigned.
‘The nightmare is finally over’
The watchdog has branded Porteous’s actions “very serious, involving a significant abuse of trust and dishonesty”.
Former business partner Cheryl Stewart, who still runs Parkview, told The Courier the saga has been a “nightmare” – but that she does not bear any grudges against Porteous.
She said: “For me, the nightmare is finally over and that is now the case closed.
“I’ve suffered horrific trauma and anxiety for the last two and a bit years because of this.
“But now I can move on and focus on my business.
“I forgive her but I’m happy that I can go on with my life now.”
A report by the SSSC following the hearing said: “Social service workers are expected to be honest, reliable and trustworthy.
“You misappropriated funds paid by parents/guardians to the nurseries for which you were the co-owner and manager for a period of two-and-a-half years.
“You did this by using the company bank accounts and funds from these accounts for personal transactions. By your actions, you acted dishonestly.
Nursery staff left ‘at risk of emotional harm’
“Your behaviour indicates a serious abuse of the trust placed in you by members of the public as well as your business partner and other colleagues.
“Your actions placed the nurseries, your business partner and other colleagues in financial hardship and there was a risk of emotional harm.
“Your behaviour falls far below the standards expected of a social service worker and is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration.”
The report also details how Porteous admitted her behaviour and “paid the monies back” – but she has “provided no information in relation to any insight, regret and/or apology for the behaviour”.
It is unclear whether any criminal proceedings were ever taken in the case.
Porteous has been contacted for comment.
