Child Care Workers Face Probe Over Gary Glitter Emails

CHILD protection workers have been suspended over claims they sent joke emails about paedophiles. Kids’ faces were stuck on pictures of Gary Glitter and allegedly circulated around South Lanarkshire Council.

Now nine workers, including several from the children and families department, could face the sack over the doctored pictures of the pop star pervert.

A council spokesman confirmed yesterday: “A number of employees have been suspended as the result of an ongoing inquiry into the misuse of the council’s internal email.

“We can’t comment further at this stage of the inquiry.”

It is understood the row flared up after one of the offensive emails was also sent to an outside agency.

When they complained, the email was tracked by the council’s IT unit.

One worker said: “People are absolutely shocked and appalled that council workers would be so disrespectful when they’re working with vulnerable kids and families and that they would circulate pornographic emails with children thinking this is funny.

“They work with children who have been neglected or abused, who are vulnerable. It’s terrible.”

The Record understands that six of the suspended workers are based at Royal Burgh House in Rutherglen, near Glasgow. Two more in Hamilton and one in Blantyre, Lanarkshire.

The workers were yesterday due to be hauled into a meeting with council chiefs in Hamilton, including head of children and families’ services Brenda Doyle and Harry Stevenson, director of social work.

Former pop star Gary Glitter became a figure of worldwide revulsion when he was caged for repeatedly abusing young girls.

In August, the sick singer was flown back to Britain after a jail spell in Vietnam.

Last September, a row over sleazy emails sparked a walkout at South Lanarkshire Council.

Councillors left the chamber in protest when an SNP member, who allegedly sent inappropriate emails to a female employee, took his seat at a licensing board meeting.