School club manager struck off after sending sexual messages to officer posing as underage girl

The manager of an out-of-school club who sent sexually explicit messages to an undercover police officer has been struck off by the care watchdog.

In April, Scott Wilkes was convicted at Dundee Sheriff Court under the Sexual Offences Act 2009 after he was caught sending explicit messages to someone he believed was an underage girl between 13 and 16 years old.

However, Wilkes, who at the time managed an out-of-school club, was in communication with an undercover police officer and was subsequently arrested and charged.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) launched an investigation into Wilkes following his conviction.

The report stated: “Your behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with your continued professional registration because it amounts to serious criminality and sexual behaviour towards a person that you thought was a child.

“This behaviour occurred while you were the manager of an out-of-school club providing care for children.

“Your actions breached the trust and confidence placed in you by the public, your employer and the SSSC as your regulator.”

Given the nature of Wilkes’ offence, the SSSC said they were not convinced similar incidents would not be repeated in future.

Because Wilkes had engaged with someone he believed to be a child in a sexual manner, the SSSC said a warning would not go far enough to protect children in his care.

The watchdog concluded that the only appropriate sanction was to strike Wilkes from the care register.