Panel spares Nazi salute nursery worker

A NURSERY worker who performed a Nazi salute before saying “Heil Hitler” in front of young children has avoided being struck off.

Angela Mchardy placed one hand above her lip to mimic the moustache of former German leader Adolf Hitler and raised the other above her head.

She then put on a German accent and said “Heil Hitler” before bursting into laughter as shocked youngsters looked on.

Her gestures came after a fellow worker had spoken to a child at the nursery who was described as being “a little withdrawn”.

The incident in September last year, at an unnamed nursery, was reported to horrified bosses and an investigation launched.

Mchardy accused one of her colleagues of “grassing her up” after the probe into her began but later apologised to them for her behaviour in the nursery.

She has avoided being struck off after a panel at the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) ruled she did not pose any significant risk to service users.

They also rejected an allegation that Mchardy’s actions were ‘xenophobically motivated’ due to lack of evidence and said they were satisfied she did not have a “strong fear or dislike of foreigners”.

The panel slapped a warning on her registration for the next year.

In an email to the SSSC, Mchardy said she thought she should have been struck off but did not attend the hearing to explain her behaviour.

The SSSC said: “The panel was satisfied that your behaviour was sufficiently serious to constitute misconduct.

“It was ill-judged, derogatory and had the potential to cause offence.

“You have provided the panel with no information to suggest that you have learnt from your experience, although the panel has noted the fact that you appeared to recognise to your employers that you had acted inappropriately.”