A domiciliary care worker from Cardiff has been removed from the Register of Social Care Workers after a Social Care Wales hearing found her fitness to practise is currently impaired because of her criminal conviction.
In February 2021, Shannon Vicary pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to two counts of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and was subsequently sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
The hearing was told that Ms Vicary helped her partner sexually abuse a two-year-old child on two occasions by contriving to keep the child’s mother away from her home, leaving Ms Vicary’s partner alone with the child.
Ms Vicary is now subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must register indefinitely as a sex offender.
After considering the evidence, the panel concluded that Ms Vicary’s fitness to practise was currently impaired because of her criminal conviction.
Explaining its decision, the panel said: “This is obviously an incredibly serious offence. In our view Ms Vicary’s conduct is aggravated by the fact it was premeditated and a particularly vulnerable child was targeted. We find that Ms Vicary’s conduct was abhorrent.”
The panel continued: “We are not satisfied from the evidence available that Ms Vicary has expressed any regret or remorse.
“The judge states, in his sentencing remarks, that the nearest Ms Vicary came to expressing remorse for what she did was to comment to the author of the pre-sentence report that the commission of the offences against the infant victim was the worst thing that could happen.”
The panel added: “We also do not consider Ms Vicary has demonstrated insight into her conduct.
“The judge’s sentencing remarks refers to the author of the psychological report concluding that ‘while Ms Vicary accepted some responsibility for the offences, she seemed to struggle to be fully open about her intent and how she was complicit in the abuse. Not having full acknowledgement or insight into how she became involved in the offences could be a risk factor for the future.’
“We do not consider Ms Vicary can be trusted and find that she poses a risk to individuals who use services in the future.”
The panel decided to remove Ms Vicary from the Register, saying: “In our view this is the only outcome which meets the need to protect members of the public and the need to protect public confidence in view of the serious nature of the offences.
“As a result of Ms Vicary’s actions serious harm was caused to the mother of the child involved and it is not yet clear the level of damage that has been done to the child.
“We find that Ms Vicary’s conduct is fundamentally incompatible with registration as a social care worker.”
Ms Vicary was not present at the one-day hearing, which took place over Zoom earlier this week.