A Scots carer has been struck off after he was caught trying to groom a 13-year-old child in a police sting operation.
Jonathan Moody, 25, was convicted in March at Kirkwall Sheriff Court for sharing indecent images and sending sexual messages to a child in 2020. He believed the person he was speaking to was a 13-year-old child but they were infact an undercover cop.
He was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work and was made subject to a supervision order for two years on April 27. He was also added to the Sex Offenders Register for two years.
The social care watchdog in Scotland found Moody's fitness practice was impaired due to the offences and said his behaviour could potentially put a vulnerable person at "risk of significant harm". He has now been removed from the register as a support worker in care home services for adults.
Orkney Islands Council confirmed that Moody previously worked for them but was no longer in their employment.
Charges from March 16 state that on various occasions between 27 October, 2020, and 11 December, 2020, Moody did intentionally and for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification, cause a person who he believed to be 13-year-old, but was actually an adult, to view images and send written communications of a sexual nature to him.
He therefore attempted to cause an older child to view a sexual image and attempt to communicate indecently with an older child.
The Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC) said there was "high public interest" in Moody's case and his conviction was "incompatible" with the industry.
"You have been convicted of sharing indecent sexual images and the exchanging of messages of a sexual nature with someone you believed to be aged between 13 and 16, " the SSSC stated. "Your behaviour had the potential to place a vulnerable person at risk of serious harm. Your behaviour was serious and is fundamentally incompatible with ongoing professional registration.
"There are ongoing public protection concerns as the behaviour is of a serious nature. You have not provided comments to the SSSC in relation to this behaviour and therefore we have no evidence of any insight. There is no evidence of remediation.
"Conduct of this nature raises serious and fundamental questions about your values. There is high public interest in this case. It would negatively impact on the public confidence in the SSSC as a regulator, and the profession, if the SSSC did not take action to reaffirm the standard expected of registered workers."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
