Yorkshire social worker struck off after sex with client

A social worker from Yorkshire who had sex with a female service user after lending her £5,000 has been struck off the social care register.

Leslie Healey, formerly of Kirklees Council, also shared confidential information with the woman and took her on holidays with her relatives, a General Social Care Council conduct committee found.

In a relationship that began in 1998, Healey gave the service user £5,000 to pay off loan sharks around the time they formed a sexual relationship, the committee was told.

In a separate incident while employed by North Yorkshire Council in 2006, Healey was found to have visited another female service user at her home, where he groped her and attempted to kiss her.

He also lied to managers about his visits to female service users.

The conduct committee found Healey had repeatedly abused the trust of his clients and showed “flagrant dishonesty” in his behaviour.

The committee said that, although Healey had apologised and shown remorse, he “continued to deny the sexually exploitative aspects of his behaviour and its impact on vulnerable service users”.

Due to the “serious and deliberate sexual abuseand persistent failure to address and recognise the inappropriate professional behaviours”, the chairman decided that the only appropriate sanction was removal.

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