Social worker convicted of fraud banned from practice

A student social worker who served an eight month sentence for fraud has been removed from the social care register. Antoinette McClue was convicted of fraud by false representation at Snaresbrook Crown Court in September 2009 and the following month was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment reduced to eight months on appeal.

Miss McClue, who did not attend the hearing, had informed the GSCC of the charge against her, and her guilty plea, in an email in August 2009.

In its decision, the committee said: “Fraud by false representation is a very serious matter,” adding: “In this case the registrant had abused a position of trust through her dishonest behaviour.” “She committed a serious criminal offence involving a large sum on money, which the court marked with the imposition of an immediate term of imprisonment.”

The committee took into consideration Miss McClue’s remorse, her insight into her failings, the fact she informed the GSCC soon after her arrest and that the offence did not affect any service users.

However, it felt she had committed a deliberate act of dishonesty and it noted that while she had no previous disciplinary matters recorded against her she had also been cautioned twice in 2003 for matters of dishonesty. The committee said it could not be confident she would repeat her behaviour in future and removed her from the social care register.