Locations
Firgrove Road, Southampton
Description
A former social worker has been given a three-year community service order after he admitted having sex with a woman client who had a mental disorder.
David Cookson, 43, of Firgrove Road, Southampton, worked as a locum for Surrey County Council when the relationship took place in 2007.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Guildford Crown Court to two counts of having sex with the Camberley woman.
The council said it sacked him as soon as it found out about the offences.
The court heard the two offences took place between March and September 2007.
'Strict checks'
Graham Wilkin, the council's director of social care, said Cookson was employed through an agency.
As soon as the council discovered what had taken place, he was suspended and his employment was later terminated.
He said the second incident took place after Cookson was dismissed and it would now be up to the General Social Care Council to decide whether to remove him from the social workers' register.
"This incident should not have happened," said Mr Wilkin.
"However, Cookson's actions were not those of a responsible professional and we expect the highest standards at all times.
"Surrey County Council has strict checks in place that are rigorously followed before we employ anyone as a social worker and these did not fail in Cookson's case."
Cookson was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years and ordered to attend the Thames Valley sex offenders group work programme.
Det Insp Martin Goodwin said: "This was a very serious but rare offence which was handled sensitively by Surrey police officers and the Community Mental Health Team.
"In partnership with the NHS Trust and Surrey County Council we have prevented Cookson from continuing to work as a social worker."