Worker struck off for secret cash grab

Day care worker took money from colleague

A former Perth day care worker has been struck off after officials found she took thousands of pounds from a vulnerable colleague.

Megan Hutchison was working at Craigie Park Nursery when it was alleged she had been asking the woman to withdraw money from her bank account and give it to her, according to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

She was also alleged to have been the woman’s bank card to pay for items and the SSSC has now decided she ought to be removed from the support worker register after its staff investigated the matter.

The SSSC found evidence that between around June 2017 and around January this year Hutchison exploited the woman, identified only as ‘A’ in its report, and as a result deprived her of between around £6500 and £7670.

Concluding her fitness to practice had been impaired through her behaviour, it said in its findings: “In taking advantage of a colleague who is vulnerable and by accepting a significant amount of money from your colleague, you exploited your colleague for your own personal gain.

“This behaviour is extremely serious. A was a vulnerable colleague who believed she was helping you as a friend and who did not truly understand the value of the money that she was giving to you. You deliberately exploited this vulnerability.

“The public would be very concerned about your conduct, and the manner in which you appear to have deliberately exploited the vulnerabilities of a colleague for financial gain.”

Setting out its reasons for removing Hutchison from the register the SSSC’s decision notice added: “The conduct took place outside work but is linked to your employment, in that you exploited a vulnerable work colleague. This gives rise to serious concerns about your values, and the extent to which you are willing to exploit vulnerable people for your own benefit.

“There is a pattern of behaviour, in that you exploited A’s vulnerability on multiple occasions to withdraw money from her bank account. The consequences of the behaviour were significant, in that A suffered from emotional and financial harm.

“A believed you were her friend and she was helping you. This was a very serious abuse of trust by you, which is compounded by your lack of insight, regret or reflection.”