Quarriers worker gets rap off care watchdog over his sectarian rant

Foul-mouthed Facebook post targeted three colleagues

A Quarriers worker has been rapped for telling colleagues: “No surrender, you Fenian b*****d.”

Calum Matheson posted the sectarian slurs on Facebook.

Matheson has been hit with a warning after he was dragged in front of the industry watchdog.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) insisted his registration should be marked for six months.

Matheson had been employed in adult care by the charity, which is based in Quarriers Village, near Bridge of Weir.

An SSSC disciplinary panel in Dundee heard he sent the remarks to three workers alongside a picture on social media.

A report stated: “You sent an offensive sectarian message to your colleagues on social media.

“One of your colleagues was deeply offended by this message.

“You initially denied sending the message to your colleague and laughed at her when she approached you about it.

“You continued to deny sending the message when asked by your employer on numerous occasions.

“Your behaviour was dishonest. The use of sectarian language and the dishonesty you displayed is serious.”

Matheson sent the picture around November 2017. It was captioned: “Santa says f**k your Celtic, no surrender, you fenian b*****d.”

He was pulled up by bosses over the message but denied he was behind the stunt and claimed his social media account

had been hacked. In its ruling, the watchdog insisted he tried to “conceal” his involvement from his employer.

Quarriers had deployed him to its Mavisbank care centre in Glasgow during the drama.

The report added: “Social service workers and other workers have the right to expect that they will be treated with dignity and respect and their health and safety protected by their social services colleagues.

“Sending this picture to your colleagues constituted inappropriate communication.

“This behaviour is a failure to treat your colleagues with dignity and respect and calls into question your suitability to be registered with SSSC.

“Social service workers are expected to be open and honest.

“Service users have the right to expect honesty and integrity from social service workers in whom they and the public place their trust and confidence. Telling your employer that your Facebook account had been hacked to conceal that you had sent an offensive message to your colleague is dishonest.

“Acting dishonestly is a breach of trust and confidence and calls into question your suitability to be registered with SSSC.”

Andy Williamson, deputy chief executive and service director for Quarriers, says the charity accepts the finding.

He added: “We have zero tolerance for the behaviour exhibited by this individual.

“This issue was investigated using Quarriers’ own disciplinary procedures in the first instance.

“Any actions of this nature are reported to the necessary authorities.”

This behaviour calls into question your suitability to be registered with SSSC