A besotted social worker who wrote a book of love poems about an ex-client has been struck off.
Brian Gorman started a relationship with the woman six months after she ceased to be in his care for drug and alcohol problems.
But the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has ruled the relationship was inappropriate, and removed him from the register for what it regarded as a “gross breach of trust”.
During the hearing, Mr Gorman tried to show the fitness to practice panel a book of love poems he penned to his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend.
Mr Gorman, who worked for Aberdeen City Council, hoped it would be accepted as “evidence of love and loving”.
But members of the panel refused to even look at the self-published book, and found him guilty of the 23 charges against him.
Yesterday Mr Gorman said he was “disgusted” with the system, and claimed drug and alcohol users would be the real victims – as they would not have the “benefit of his experience”.
Mr Gorman admitted 16 of the charges, including forming a sexual relationship with a former client in 2012, meeting her on a weekly basis, attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with her, texting her and befriending her on Facebook.
He also admitted that after she ended the relationship, he turned up at her house and shouted and swore – telling her “you betrayed my love” and “I’ll always love you”.
Mr Gorman told the panel the breakdown of the relationship affected him so much he even shaved his head and had a stint in a psychiatric hospital.
He has previously defended the relationship, saying at the time there was no “clear guidance” available on relationships with former clients.
When asked if he had doubts at the time about whether the relationship was appropriate, he said: “To be honest it didn’t matter to me by then. I wouldn’t have cared if God had said it was wrong.
“I’m not the first person in history to be condemned for falling in love with someone that other people don’t agree with.”
Following the SSSC decision, he said: “I don’t really care about the decision, I won’t ever be going back into social work.
“I’m quite disgusted with the system. How can you break a rule which doesn’t exist?
“I’m sad in respect of the fact that I am an excellent drugs worker and I enjoyed and gained an incredible amount of satisfaction from helping people.
“People will no longer have the benefit of my experience. I’m now looking forward to going to university next year.”
The SSSC’s written judgment on the case states that Mr Gorman’s behaviour “posed potential risks to vulnerable service users” and that he “has shown no insight or regret” regarding his actions.