A Scots social care worker has been slapped with a warning after making sexual comments towards a number of colleagues and wrapping his hand around one of their necks.
Raymond Matthew worked as a sheltered housing officer with Aberdeenshire Council when the incidents happened on August 10, 2022. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) found the behaviour occurred while he was delivering a training course, reports Aberdeen Live.
Matthew made a number of inappropriate comments, including telling the woman that “[her] bum was pert because [she] went to the gym”.
He also placed his hands around the woman’s neck in a strangling motion while demonstrating a moving and handling technique. Mr Matthew also made a number of sexualised comments towards other people on the course.
The SSSC has now handed Mr Matthew a warning that will remain on his registration for a period of 12 months. The watchdog condemned his actions as “abusing his position” and “causing alarm” to his colleagues.
The decision reads: “Your actions indicate concerns about your values and respect for colleagues working in the social services sector. You were responsible for providing training to three female colleagues and have abused this position, causing alarm to those colleagues.
“This is a breach of the trust placed in you by your employer and colleagues. Your behaviour falls below the standards expected of a member of a caring and trusted profession.
“Although your actions do not appear to have been sexually motivated, they were inappropriate, and you have failed to respect the colleagues you were responsible for training. It is suggested that your comments and actions were intended as humour however they were perceived as intimidating and threatening in the circumstances.”
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