A support worker has been struck off the care register after being caught with indecent images of children.

Alan Martin was jailed for less than a year in February after pleading guilty to downloading and being in possession of the illicit pictures and videos. More than 100 of the items found were in the most serious category 'A'.

At his sentencing hearing, he was placed on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

Martin, from Dunfermline in Fife, committed his crimes between December 18, 2017 and February 1, 2018.

Following a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) hearing last month, a panel found that his fitness to practise was impaired by reason of his convictions.

The SSSC presenter reminded the panel that its role was not to punish offenders a second time, but instead to focus on "protecting the public and maintaining the wider public interest".

The panel agreed that Martin's convictions brought into question his suitability to work in the profession.

Martin, who was registered to work in housing support and care at home services, was not present at his hearing.

Given his lack of engagement with the SSSC, the panel had no evidence that his conduct was remediable.

The panel stated that his crimes were serious enough to merit a custodial sentence, adding: "They involved the sexual abuse of children in the widest sense, albeit that there is no evidence that you were personally involved.

"The courts have repeatedly expressed the view that crimes involving possession or distribution of child pornography are not victimless crimes.

"You have not engaged with the SSSC in any way. You have shown no insight, regret or apology.

"Your behaviour was not an isolated incident, given that you pleaded guilty to being involved in your offences between December 2017 and February 2018."

The panel highlighted that vulnerable service users have to be assured that they can trust those charged with their care to look after them properly.

In light of Martin's convictions, the panel stated: "The offences, to which you pleaded guilty, disclose a sexual interest in children who are by their very nature vulnerable.

"Support workers in a housing support service and support workers in a care at home service often have access to children or to vulnerable adults.

"The panel considered that a finding of impairment of fitness to practise was necessary for reasons of public protection."

Removing Martin from the register, the panel added: "Such an order will protect vulnerable service users.

"In particular, it will protect any children with whom you might otherwise have come into contact in the course of your employment."