A Stonehaven nursery worker has been struck off after showing children sexual images while babysitting.
Kirsty Sutherland previously admitted intentionally showing two children, aged four and seven, to look at a sexual image.
She also pleaded guilty to showing a live sexual video to two youngsters aged 11 and 12.
When the case called in February, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that at the time of the offences Sutherland was working as a trainee nursery practitioner but also babysat for families in the Stonehaven area.
The case triggered a fitness to practice hearing by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
The watchdog has now struck off Sutherland, who has since moved to the Liverpool area.
Sexual images shown to children
In the determination, the SSSC ruled that her behaviour at put the children at “serious risk of harm” and suggested she had “deep-seated attitudinal and values issues”.
Between March 1 and April 20 last year, Sutherland intentionally had a sexual conversation with two children “for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming them.”
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard Sutherland had initially asked the children if they had used Omegle, to which they said they had.
She then began chatting to a man, went to the bathroom and returned to show both children her phone.
The children saw a man on a video call carrying out a sex act and Sutherland told them she had urinated in front of him and shown him her breasts.
On April 12 2022, she showed two other children, aged four and seven, a video of pornographic nature – and then asked them to keep it a “secret”.
‘Risk of repeat behaviour high’
Confirming their decision to strike Sutherland off, the SSSC ruling states: “The risk of the behaviour being repeated is considered to be high.
“There is a clear need to protect vulnerable users of services, in particular young
children, from the risks associated with your behaviour.
“There would be substantial concerns if you were allowed to continue to work with
vulnerable people.
“Your conduct appears to have taken place outside of work however the seriousness of the behaviour is such that it has the potential to impact upon
the reputation of the profession, particularly given your role at the time as a nursery practitioner.
“While your behaviour did not take place during the course of your
employment, it was a clear abuse of the trust placed in you in relation to
the children who were in your care at the time.”
Sutherland did not attend the hearing.
