Aberdeen support worker Douglas Boal bombarded former service user with unwanted videos and texts

A support worker who bombarded a woman with unwanted texts and videos he had made for her has been banned from the profession.

Douglas Boal also tried to form “inappropriate” relationships with two vulnerable service users he had met while employed with a housing support charity in Aberdeen.

After leaving his job in May 2022, Mr Boal sent a letter to a male service user, referred to as AA, containing his personal mobile number and home address.

He sent another letter to a female service user, referred to as BB, asking her to contact him, stating that she was one of his “best friends” and asking for her email address.

He went on to send the woman two messages from his personal mobile.

Mr Boal was convicted at Aberdeen Sheriff Court of stalking a woman between March and April of the same year by persistently sending her unwanted messages and emails containing social media videos he had created for her.

He repeatedly asked the woman to come to his home and stated he was “in love with her” despite her asking him to stop.

An investigation by the Scottish Social Services Council found he had “breached professional boundaries” by contacting two service users.

Their report stated: “The contact with service users was after you had left the service. You attempted to form friendships with both service users and in relation to BB you stated that they were “one of [your] best friends”.

“This is not acceptable behaviour for a person working within the social services sector. Your contact with AA and BB was unexpected and had not been discussed or agreed with any former manager of the service
or the service users’ social worker.

“Your actions placed the service users at risk of future harm as they would be unaware that such contact was inappropriate.

“You also requested they visit your home address and stated that you were in love with them. This communication was unwanted and you failed to cease contact with this person when you were asked to do so by them.

“A warning would not be appropriate as it would not be adequate at addressing the serious nature of this behaviour. The behaviour led to a conviction as you had caused fear and alarm to the victim through persistent contact.

“The SSSC considers a Removal Order is the most appropriate sanction as it is both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession.”