Support worker made sexual comments to colleague while she was carrying out personal care

A support worker who made sexual comments towards a colleague while providing personal care for a vulnerable service user has been struck off.

Malcolm Mccloy was employed by The Richmond Fellowship Scotland Limited in Johnstone at the time of the incident in May 2025.

The Scottish Social Services Council launched a probe into Mccloy’s conduct over the incident.

The watchdog heard Mccloy made sexually suggestive comments towards a colleague, referred to as ZZ in the SSSC report, while in the presence of a supported person AA.

He said to his colleague ‘is that another dirty pair of leggings I need to think about’, or words to that effect.

While carrying out personal care to AA, and after ZZ had covered the supported person with a towel, Mccloy made a sexual reference to the cover.

As ZZ was replacing AA’s continence aid, Mccloy then said “put it in slowly”.

The SSSC also heard Mccloy squeezed ZZ’s hand tightly for a few seconds, and when ZZ said he was old enough to be her grandfather, he responded “there’s pills for that”.

It was then heard that while ZZ readjusted her bra strap over her clothing, McCloy smiled, said ‘now, now’ and appeared to rub his genitals over his clothing.

The SSSC also heard ZZ repeatedly asked Mccloy to stop making comments, but he failed to do so.

It was determined that some of the actions of Mccloy were sexually motivated.

The SSSC also heard of an incident in which Mccloy leaned over a table on more than one occasion and shouted ‘boo, boo, boo’ in the face of a supported person in September 2023.

Following an investigation, the SSSC found the “abusive” language Mccloy directed towards ZZ made her feel “humiliated, embarrassed and uncomfortable” and caused her “significant emotional harm”.

It also found his actions “failed to respect AA’s dignity as well as ZZ’s dignity, well-being and safety” and by shouting in BB’s face, he acted in a “disrespectful, unkind and unprofessional” manner.

The SSSC stated that while Mccloy had engaged with the SSSC, he had offered limited assurances that his behaviour would not be repeated in future, and also demonstrated little understanding of the emotional harm caused by his actions and why it was wrong.

Mccloy’s fitness to practice was found to be impaired, and he was struck from the register on July 9.