Swearing school club boss in sumo suit ‘horseplay’

AN after-school club boss faces being struck off the care register for “inappropriately” wrestling her boyfriend while both were dressed in sumo suits.
Nicola McDonald was in charge of the Flora Stevenson After School Club. Picture: Julie BullNicola McDonald was in charge of the Flora Stevenson After School Club. Picture: Julie Bull
Nicola McDonald was in charge of the Flora Stevenson After School Club. Picture: Julie Bull

Nicola McDonald, who was in charge of the Flora Stevenson After School Club, is also accused of swearing at workmen, stealing from petty cash and claiming for expenses she was not entitled to.

She will face 23 charges and could be struck off the social services register at the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) hearing, which starts today in Dundee.

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The mum-of-two has been accused of abusing her position by keeping club iPads at home for her children to use, letting them use the club mobile phone and even buying equipment using club funds.

It is alleged Ms McDonald, who worked at the school between May 2011 and April 2013, forged statements of fees for her children to attend the club and sent them to HM Revenue and Customs in support of claims for tax credits.

She let her two children attend the club when they were not eligible and smacked her son “on his bottom in the ­presences of service users”, it is claimed.

Other “inappropriate behaviour” involved giving her boyfriend access to the facility before “putting on sumo suits and engaging in horseplay” in front of youngsters.

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The charges state that on February 12, 2013, she made a claim for £247.60 from her employer for a meal at Giuliano’s restaurant that she was not entitled to.

Additional expenses claimed for staff meetings and taxi journeys have also been ­disputed by bosses.

The sub-committee will hear that Ms McDonald would listen to loud music during working hours and make personal phone calls. Another said she told a workman to “f*** off” when he entered the school hall.

She also discouraged staff from talking to committee members about any issues as well as failed to ensure they were trained in areas such as the child protection policy, the charges allege.

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Between December 2012 and February 2013, she allegedly took cash advances from petty cash for herself and allowed employees to do the same.

A spokeswoman for the school and the city council said they could not comment.

An SSSC spokesperson said: “The SSSC has a range of sanctions that can be imposed. These range from a warning, imposing conditions on a worker, imposing both a warning and conditions, applying a suspension order or a suspension order with conditions, or removal from the register.”

Ms McDonald could not be reached for comment.