GSCC admonishes social worker over TK Maxx shoe fraud

A social worker who tried to obtain £15 from clothes shop TK Maxx by switching the price tag on a pair of boots has been admonished by the General Social Care Council.

A social worker who tried to obtain £15 from clothes shop TK Maxx by switching the price tag on a pair of boots has been admonished by the General Social Care Council.

Birmingham Council employee Miriam Dhillon-Powell accepted a police caution from West Midlands Police in November 2009 after she was caught returning a pair of boots displaying a price tag at a greater value than she had paid for them.

The GSCC’s conduct committee found this to be a serious case, as it involved a premeditated decision to switch the labels.

But it noted that the misconduct did not relate to Dhillon-Powell’s professional practice, that the sum was a modest one and that she had admitted the offence to the police, her employer and the conduct committee.

In addition, five “impressive” character references were submitted to the conduct committee on her behalf, showing the behaviour was out of character.

Dhillon-Powell received a warning from her employer after the incident, but continues to work there.

The committee said: “[We] heard from the registrant that some months before she had given evidence against a colleague in a stressful court case and disciplinary hearing.

“This might have impaired her judgement.”

It concluded that there was no basis for considering Dhillon-Powell a risk to the public, and gave her a five-year admonishment.

Read the full notice of decision

What do you think? Join the debate on CareSpace

Keep up to date with the latest developments in social care. Sign up to our daily and weekly emails

Related articles

Social worker guilty of misconduct in case beset by delay

More from Community Care

Comments are closed.