A Perth care worker found guilty of making and keeping indecent images of children has been struck off.
Care watchdog Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) declared Arbroath’s David Cook unfit to practice and revoked his registration.
Cook, 22, who worked in Perth, was found guilty at Forfar Sheriff Court of making and storing indecent images of children.
He was convicted of offences committed between September 22, 2016 and September 7, 2022.
Arbroath man placed on sex offenders register
The court ruled that Cook be placed under supervision and on the sex offender register for three years.
In its subsequent ruling, the SSSC said Cook’s behaviour had been “extremely serious”.
It added: “The taking of indecent images placed any child or children involved at serious risk of physical, emotional and psychological harm suggests that you hold deep-seated attitudinal and values issues which are incompatible with continuing professional registration.”
The SSSC also said that Cook had “attempted to minimise the behaviour”.
This showed a lack of insight into the seriousness of the convictions, said the watchdog.
SSSC says Perth carer’s actions raised ‘serious concerns’
“This provides no reassurance that the behaviour would not be repeated in the future,” the SSSC added.
“Given the pattern of the behaviour and the lack of insight or remorse shown by you, it is assessed that there is a moderate to high risk of the behaviour being repeated.
“There are significant public protection concerns arising from your convictions.
“There is an extremely high risk of harm should your behaviour be repeated and as a result there is a clear need to protect vulnerable users of services.”
The SSSC added that it would have “considerable concerns” if Cook continued working with vulnerable people.
It also said it had a duty to ensure public confidence and removing Cook from the SSCS register was in the “public interest”.
Cook was therefore stuck off the SSSC register from June 20.
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