Social work lecturer struck off over child porn images

A social work lecturer who was jailed for possessing images showing “very serious sexual abuse” of children younger than 13 has been struck off.

Police found 92 pornographic images of children on registered social worker Kevin Pettican’s computer, some of which depicted penetrative sex.

Pettican admitted nine counts of making and one count of having indecent photographs of children at Ipswich Crown Court in September 2010. He was sentenced to three months in prison, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years.

At the sentencing hearing, the judge said the images depicted “very serious sexual abuse” of children, adding that Pettican “above anyone” ought to have realised that.

Pettican was suspended and later resigned as programme leader for social work at University Campus Suffolk, Ipswich.

Removing him from the register, the General Social Care Council’s conduct committee said his behaviour was “a serious and significant departure from the standards expected of a registered social worker”.

Read the full notice of decision

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Social work lecturer on child porn charges