A senior social worker has been accused of raping a client by the profession’s disciplinary body.
Ronald Sherriffs is accused of having sex on two occasions with the woman against her will in her own home some time between 2005 and 2006.
The allegation against the social care worker – who formerly worked for Aberdeen City Council – has been by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
The charge is one of 62 against Mr Sherriffs due to be considered at a hearing in Dundee later this month.
The Crown Office said last night there are no live criminal proceedings against Mr Sheriffs, who is understood to be in his mid-50s.
But the SSSC confirmed it was taking the highly unusual step of bringing the charge against him.
The allegation – which has been published on the body’s website – is that whilst employed as a social worker with Aberdeen City Council he did, on two occasions, at BB’s home address, have sexual intercourse with BB against her will and did thereby rape BB”.
Another charge states that he “took service user BB to his home” and “provided BB with alcohol”.
It is also alleged that during his employment he assaulted a relative of his by pulling her hair and repeatedly punching and kicking her on her head and body.
Other charges relate to alleged bullying, harassment, aggressive behaviour, using foul language and asking inappropriate questions of colleagues.
Mr Sherriffs’s online professional profile details a long history of working in social care.
It reveals that he graduated from the Robert Gordon University in 1996 with a diploma in social work, and has since worked as an outreach social worker with NHS Grampian and has been working with Aberdeen City Council for over 16 years.
It says that he still works at the council, but the local authority has confirmed he is no longer an employee.
The SSSC hearing notice points out that the charges are “current at the date of publication but may be amended during the hearing”.
A spokeswoman for the SSSC said: “There has not been a criminal conviction in relation to the matters outlined in our charge.
“The SSSC’s proceedings require that facts are proved using the civil standard of proof, which is the balance of probabilities, and not the criminal standard. which is beyond reasonable doubt.
“The fact that criminal proceedings have not been taken or that they have concluded without a conviction does not prevent the SSSC from taking action.”
A spokesman at the Crown Office said: “There is currently no live case running for Mr Sherriffs.
“However, we are unable to check past records to see if a case has ever been held.”
A clerk at Aberdeen Sheriff Court said they were unable to check records.